A distributed acoustic and temperature sensor using a commercial off-the-shelf DFB laser

In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate a hybrid distributed acoustic and temperature sensor (DATS) based on Raman and coherent Rayleigh scattering processes in a standard singlemode fiber. A single commercial off-the-shelf DFB laser and a common receiver block are used to implement a highly integrated hybrid sensor system with key industrial applications. Distributed acoustic sensing and Raman temperature measurement are simultaneously performed by exploiting cyclic Simplex pulse coding in a phase-sensitive OTDR and in Raman DTS using direct detection. Suitable control and modulation of the DFB laser ensures inter-pulse incoherence and intra-pulse coherence, enabling accurate long-distance measurement of vibrations and temperature with minimal post-processing.