High-resolution distributed sensor using dark Brillouin scattering

Distributed sensors based on time-domain Brillouin scattering have typically had spatial resolutions in the metre range, with some advanced systems improving upon this by an order of magnitude. Resolution in the centimetre range generally has been made possible by using correlation based systems or frequency-domain approaches. Both of these techniques suffer from practical limits on overall sensing length and/or acquisition speed. We present a new technique which uses dark pulses to implement a time-domain sensor system that provides centimetre resolution, short acquisition times and minimal restrictions on sensing length. The method is verified through simulation and results are shown to demonstrate the technique's efficacy in two practical applications.

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