Method and system for an ultimately fast frequency-scanning brillouin optical time domain analyzer

US10036686B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ramot at Tel-Aviv University Ltd. · IL

Inventors

• Moshe Tur · Nes Ziona, IL
• Ido Sovran · Ramat Gan, IL
• Avi Motil · Azor, IL

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 22, 2016
• Grant date: Jul 31, 2018
• Expiry date: Mar 22, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01M11/319
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and a system for ultimately fast frequency-scanning Brillouin optical time domain analysis are provided herein. The method may include: simultaneously launching two pairs each having a pulsed pump wave and a counter-propagating constant wave (CW) probe wave, into an optical fiber, wherein the pulsed pumps have orthogonal States of Polarization (SOPs), and wherein the two CW probe waves have a same SOP; scanning common pump-probe frequency difference, over a frequency range that encompasses a respective Brillouin Gain Spectrum (BGS) and current and expected spectral shifts of the BGS along the optical fiber; deriving, a local Brillouin Frequency Shift (BFS), in a distributed manner along the optical fiber, which is defined as the pump-probe frequency difference which maximizes the Brillouin gain on the BGS; and determining strain and/or temperature in a distributed manner along the optical fiber, based on the respective local BFS.