Optimization of fiber-optic sensors at a distance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55287/22275398_2026_59_15Keywords:
fiber-optic sensor, long-distance monitoring, attenuation, dispersion, fiber Bragg grating (FBG), erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA), Raman amplification, signal-to-noise ratio, spatial resolutionAbstract
The article presents a detailed analysis of the vulnerabilities of various types of fiber-optic sensors (FOS)–specifically, point sensors based on Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) and distributed sensors using Optical Time-Domain Reflectometers (OTDR)–to signal degradation over long distances. It has been established that for distributed systems, the dominant factor reducing spatial resolution is chromatic dispersion, whereas for point sensors, the combined effect of attenuation and amplification noise becomes critical.
The scientific novelty of the research lies in the proposal of an original hybrid scheme. This scheme integrates a hybrid amplification cascade, based on an Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) and a distributed Raman amplifier, combined with an adaptive dispersion compensation unit utilizing programmable FBGs with electronic feedback. In contrast to existing counterparts, this solution provides not merely an increase in signal power but also targeted suppression of the noise component and dynamic correction of dispersion-induced distortions, adapting to the changing parameters of the fiber.
The practical significance of the study is determined by numerical modeling, which demonstrates that the implementation of the developed method for a Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) model over a 150 km distance enables an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio by 4.8 dB and maintains a spatial resolution of ±3.5 meters. This level of performance is unattainable for conventional systems with discrete amplification. The obtained results pave the way for the development of cost-effective, highly reliable monitoring systems for ultra-long-range applications, which are in high demand in the oil and gas sector, power engineering, and transport infrastructure.
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