High sensitivity distributed dynamic pressure sensor based on dual-linear frequency modulated optical frequency domain reflectometry

In this Letter, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a highly sensitive distributed dynamic pressure sensor based on a dual-linear frequency modulated optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) and a coating thickness-enhanced single-mode fiber (SMF). A dual-sideband linear frequency modulation (LFM) signal is used to interrogate the sensing fiber, which allows us to obtain a dual-sideband Rayleigh backscattering signal. Due to the opposite slopes of the two LFM sidebands, the Rayleigh backscattering spectra of the two sidebands drift in opposite directions when the fiber is disturbed. By subtracting the frequency shifts of the two spectra, we can double the system’s sensitivity. We further enhance the sensitivity by using an SMF with a coating thickness of 200 µm. This results in a pressure sensitivity of 3979 MHz/MPa, a measurement accuracy of 0.76 kPa, and a spatial resolution of 35 cm over a 500 m optical fiber. Our system successfully detected a dynamic pressure change at a sampling rate of 1.25 kHz, demonstrating the sensor’s excellent dynamic measuring capabilities.