Influence of the laser frequency drift in phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry

TL;DR

This paper investigates how laser frequency drift affects phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry systems, providing a new model, experimental verification, and quantitative laser stability requirements.

Contribution

A new numerical model for $\

Findings

Laser frequency instability significantly impacts SNR in $\

contribution

A new numerical model for $\

Abstract

The influence of the laser frequency drift on the operation of phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry ($\Phi$-OTDR) systems is considered. Theoretical results based on a new numerical $\Phi$-OTDR model demonstrating the influence of the laser frequency instability on a signal are reported. This model is verified based on experimental data. It has been used to calculate the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the system for different parameters of the laser source stability. As a result, quantitative requirements for lasers used in $\Phi$-OTDR systems are formulated.