title: M-OTDR sensing system based on 3D encoded microstructures.
abstract: In this work, a quasi-distributed sensing scheme named as microstructured OTDR (M-OTDR) by introducing ultra-weak microstructures along the fiber is proposed. Owing to its relative higher reflectivity compared with the backscattered coefficient in fiber and three dimensional (3D) i.e. wavelength/frequency/time encoded property, the M-OTDR system exhibits the superiorities of high signal to noise ratio (SNR), high spatial resolution of millimeter level and high multiplexing capacity up to several ten thousands theoretically. A proof-of-concept system consisting of 64 sensing units is constructed to demonstrate the feasibility and sensing performance. With the help of the demodulation method based on 3D analysis and spectrum reconstruction of the signal light, quasi-distributed temperature sensing with a spatial resolution of 20 cm as well as a measurement resolution of 0.1 °C is realized.
authors.affiliation: School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Next Generation Internet Access System, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Qizhen
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Next Generation Internet Access System, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.affiliation: School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Next Generation Internet Access System, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Deming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Next Generation Internet Access System, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Next Generation Internet Access System, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Next Generation Internet Access System, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Kuan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Next Generation Internet Access System, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yiyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Next Generation Internet Access System, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Perry Ping
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Shum