LONG DISTANCE, ALL-OPTICAL TELEMETRY FOR FIBER OPTIC SENSOR USING REMOTE OPTICALLY PUMPED EDFAs

摘要

An optical sensor architecture receives an input optical signal (502) from a signal source (500) and outputs a perturbed optical signal (510) from at least one sensor (508) to a receiver (520). An optical amplifier (516) is positioned along a return fiber (512) at an optical distance at least 10 kilometers from the receiver (520), with the optical amplifier (516) amplifying the perturbed optical signal (510) propagating to the receiver (520). If only one optical amplifier (516) is used, the optical distance between the amplifier (516) and the receiver (520) may be between about 10 km and about 80 km, and an optical distance of between about 10 km and about 150 km may separate the sensor (508) and the receiver (520). If additional optical amplifiers (544) and dedicated pump distribution fibers (540, 552) are used, the optical distances may be correspondingly greater. Alternatively, increasing the number of sensors (508) necessitates a reduction in the optical distance separating the sensors from shore.