Frequency sweep extension using the Kerr effect for static temperature measurement range enhancement in Chirped Pulse φ-OTDR

Abstract

In Chirped Pulse φ -OTDR systems used for sensing temperature or strain along an optical fiber, the largest disturbance between two single-shot measurements that can reliably be detected depends on the range of frequencies swept by the chirped pulse. If electrical modulation is used to generate the laser frequency sweep, the achievable sweeping range is limited by the electrical components, leading to a narrow measurement range for static measurements. In this work, we demonstrate the extension of the frequency range of a chirped laser pulse by all-optical means using evenly spaced frequency sidebands generated via the Kerr effect to improve the Chirped Pulse φ -OTDR measurement range. We report chirp extensions by factors up to 13 and apply the effect to achieve a sixfold increase in the measurement range of a Chirped Pulse φ -OTDR system measuring the temperature of a random fiber grating array. The method described in this paper can be applied to other optical systems utilizing chirped laser pulses and allow for variable extension of their chirping range.