Overview of high performance fiber optic sensing

Summary form only given. For the purposes here, a high performance sensing application is defined as one that simultaneously requires high sensitivity (1-100 f/spl epsiv/), wide bandwidth (1-100 kHz), and large dynamic range (>120 dB). High performance fiber optic sensing applications include tactical and surveillance grade underwater acoustics, high sensitivity acceleration, and acoustic and seismic sensing for oil exploration. Traditionally, high performance fiber optic sensor systems have relied on interferometric measurement techniques to extract the strain information from the fiber optic transducer. Distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) fiber laser based systems with interferometric readout approach the sensitivity of interferometric approaches, but have seen little use outside the laboratory The performance of DFB fiber laser sensors can rival interferometric approaches, but there are questions about the multiplexing the lasers and the packaging requirements for stable operation. While interferometric based approaches still offer the highest performance levels with proven multiplexing gain, DFB fiber laser sensors could fill some application requirements in the near future.