Distributed sensing in an optical fiber using brillouin scattering
US7504618B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 3, 2007 |
| Grant date | Mar 17, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 3, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01K11/32
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
To perform distributed sensing with an optical fiber using Brillouin scattering, a light pulse is transmitted into the optical fiber, where the transmitted light pulse has a first frequency. Backscattered light and optical local oscillator light are combined, where the backscattered light is received from the optical fiber in response to the transmitted light pulse, and where the optical local oscillator light has a second frequency. A frequency offset is caused to be present between the first frequency of the transmitted light pulse and the second frequency of the optical local oscillator light, where the frequency offset is at least 1 GHz less than a Brillouin frequency shift of the backscattered light. Spectra representing Stokes and anti-Stokes components of the backscattered light are acquired, where the Stokes and anti-Stokes components are separated by a frequency span that is based on the frequency offset.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.