Wideband Dectection of Spontaneous Brillouin Scattering Spectrum in Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry

Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry (BOTDR) is attracting significant attention due to its immense potential applications in temperature or strain monitoring. Conventional BOTDR system based on Spontaneous Brillouin Scattering Spectrum(SBSS) narrow-band detection is not only time-consuming but also controlling complicated. To overcome the drawbacks of the conventional detection method, a new SBSS wideband detection method is proposed in this paper. In the new detection method, the whole SBSS is captured by use of a wideband receiver in a single measurement, and Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) signal processing algorithm is used to obtain the SBSS. The configuration of a heterodyne detection BOTDR system based on SBSS wideband detection is presented, and the data processing method, the spatial resolution of the system and the measurement time is discussed. The BOTDR system based on SBSS wideband detection has been demonstrated, and a temperature resolution of 3 degrees C and a spatial resolution of 2 m have been achieved. The measurement time is only about one-tenth that of conventional narrow-band detection method.