Distributed shape sensing using Brillouin scattering in multi-core fibers

• DOI: 10.1364/oe.24.025211
• Publication Date: 2016-10-19T17:42:38Z
• Authors: Zhiyong Zhao; Marcelo A. Soto; Ming Tang; Luc Thévenaz
• Keywords: Brillouin zone; Distributed Acoustic Sensing

A theoretical and experimental study on the response of Brillouin scattering in multi-core optical fibers (MCF) under different curving conditions is presented. Results demonstrate that frequency shift off-center cores MCF highly bending-dependent, showing a linear dependence fiber curvature. This feature here exploited to develop new kind distributed sensor, which provides measurements profile mapping longitudinal shape. Using conventional time-domain analysis with differential pulse-width pairs, fully shape sensing along 1 km-long practically demonstrated. Experimental results show very good agreement theoretically expected behavior deduced from strain induced by bending over given core. The presented this paper constitute first demonstration sensing, providing cornerstone further it into three-dimensional sensor.