Intensity and wavelength-division multiplexing FBG sensor system using a tunable multiport fiber ring laser

We propose an intensity and wavelength-division multiplexing (IWDM) fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system using a tunable multiport fiber ring laser. The different output powers of a multiport fiber laser are used to address the information reflected from the sensing FBGs, even if the Bragg wavelengths of the FBGs connected at different laser output ports are identical. We describe the operation principle and experimentally demonstrate a three-port fiber sensor. For the IWDM technique, our proposed fiber grating sensor system can enhance the sensing capacity, signal-to-noise ratio, and sensing resolution.