Coherent OTDR with large dynamic range based on double-sideband linear frequency modulation pulse

Abstract

Rayleigh scattering-based distributed optical fiber sensors with long sensing distance and large dynamic range are highly desired for application scenarios such as vehicle tracking, structure health monitoring, and geological survey. To enlarge the dynamic range, we propose a coherent optical time domain reflectometry (COTDR) based on double-sideband linear frequency modulation (LFM) pulse. By utilizing I/Q demodulation, both the positive and negative frequency band of the Rayleigh backscattering (RBS) signal can be properly demodulated. Consequently, the dynamic range is doubled without increasing the bandwidth of signal generator, photodetector (PD), and oscilloscope. In the experiment, the chirped pulse with 10 μs pulse width and 498 MHz frequency sweeping range is launched into the sensing fiber. Single-shot strain measurement is achieved over 5 km single-mode fiber with a spatial resolution of 2.5 m and a strain sensitivity of 7.5 pε/Hz. A vibration signal with 3.09 με peak-to-peak amplitude (corresponding to 461 MHz frequency shift) is successfully measured with the double-sideband spectrum, which cannot be properly recovered with the single-sideband spectrum.