Super-simplified optical correlation-domain reflectometry

Abstract

Abstract Optical correlation-domain reflectometry (OCDR), which is known as one of the fiber-optic techniques for distributed reflectivity sensing, conventionally included an acousto-optic modulator, a reference path, and erbium-doped fiber amplifiers in its setup. In this work, by removing all of these components simultaneously, we develop a super-simplified configuration of OCDR, which consists of a light source and a photodetector only. We experimentally show that this system can still perform distributed reflectivity sensing with a moderate signal-to-noise ratio, which will boost the portability and cost efficiency of the OCDR technology.