Long range fading free phase-sensitive reflectometry based on multi-frequency NLFM pulse

Abstract: A long range phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometer (phi-OTDR) with a multi-frequency non-linear frequency modulation (NLFM) optical pulse is proposed in this Letter. To boost the pulse energy while suppressing the optical nonlinear effects, the distortion of the amplified pulse is rectified, and a three-tone pulse is used. Combining with the NLFM technic which provides 42.7 dB side lobe suppression ration (SLSR), these two approaches guarantee that a sensing distance of 80 km is achieved in the experiment with 2.5 m spatial resolution, 49.6 dB dynamic range, and 45 dB phase signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a phase-demodulated phi-OTDR over such a long sensing range has been reported with un-pumped sensing fiber.