IP Library Granted Patent US 12,388,527
Granted Patent B2
US 12,388,527 · App. 18/272,188 · Granted Aug 12, 2025

Brillouin gain spectrum distribution measurement method and equipment

Inventors: Tomokazu Oda (Musashino, JP); Daisuke Iida (Musashino, JP); Atsushi Nakamura (Musashino, JP); Yusuke Koshikiya (Musashino, JP); Nazuki Honda (Musashino, JP)
Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
H04B10/2537G01D5/35364
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,388,527
App. No.
18/272,188
Granted
Aug 12, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a Brillouin gain spectrum distribution measuring method and apparatus capable of measuring a BGS, having a line width narrower than usual, in a distributed manner in the longitudinal direction of an optical fiber under test. This measuring apparatus prepares pump light in which a pulse is added to continuous light and probe light of continuous light in which a frequency is shifted from the pump light, makes the probe light incident on one end of the FUT and the pump light incident on the other end, and obtains a time waveform of a component amplified by the pump light pulse of a probe light intensity amplified by the pump light. This measuring apparatus changes an optical frequency difference between the pump light and the probe light, and obtains a time waveform for each optical frequency difference. This measuring apparatus obtains a BGS distribution of the FUT from these time waveforms.

Claims (11)

1. A Brillouin gain spectrum distribution measuring method comprising:

making probe light of continuous light and pump light of continuous light incident from one end and the other end of an optical fiber under test, respectively, to generate a Brillouin action in an entire section of the optical fiber under test;

making pulse-like pulsed pump light having the same optical frequency as that of the pump light incident from the other end of the optical fiber under test in a state where the Brillouin action in the entire section is maintained;

measuring an intensity of the light output from the other end of the optical fiber under test;

for each optical frequency difference between the probe light and the pump light, extracting an amplification component of the probe light amplified by the pulsed pump light by subtracting an intensity component of the probe light and a component of the probe light amplified by the pump light from the measured intensity of the light, thereby obtaining a Brillouin gain spectrum in a distributed manner in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber under test.

2. The Brillouin gain spectrum distribution measuring method according to claim 1 , wherein a light intensity of the pump light is increased to obtain the pulsed pump light.

3. A Brillouin gain spectrum distribution measuring apparatus comprising:

a light incident device that makes probe light of continuous light and pump light of continuous light incident from one end and the other end of an optical fiber under test, respectively, to generate a Brillouin action in an entire section of the optical fiber under test, and makes pulse-like pulsed pump light having the same optical frequency as that of the pump light incident from the other end of the optical fiber under test in a state where the Brillouin action in the entire section is maintained;

a light receiver that measures an intensity of the light output from the other end of the optical fiber under test; and

an analysis device that, for each optical frequency difference between the probe light and the pump light, extracts an amplification component of the probe light amplified by the pulsed pump light by subtracting an intensity component of the probe light and a component of the probe light amplified by the pump light from the measured intensity of the light, thereby obtaining a Brillouin gain spectrum in a distributed manner in a longitudinal direction of the optical fiber under test.

4. The Brillouin gain spectrum distribution measuring apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the light incident device increases a light intensity of the pump light to obtain the pulsed pump light.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 3, 2025
From: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
To: NTT, INC.
Reel/Frame 072995/0203 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2023
From: ODA, TOMOKAZU; IIDA, DAISUKE; NAKAMURA, ATSUSHI; KOSHIKIYA, YUSUKE; HONDA, NAZUKI
To: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064243/0354 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240146413A1 · May 2, 2024
References Cited (6)
JP 200733183A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
Haritz Iribas et al, Enhanced tolerance to pulse extinction ratio in Brillouin optical time domain analysis sensors by dithering of the optical source, 2015 (Year: 2015). [cited by examiner]
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Daisuke Iida et al., “Low bandwidth temperature sensing using reference stimulated Brillouin scattered beam”, IEICE Technical Report, vol. 108, No. 245, OFT 2008-43, pp. 45-50, Oct. 2008 with machine generated English t… [cited by applicant]
Aydin Yeniay et al., “Spontaneous and Stimulated Brillouin Scattering Gain Spectra in Optical Fibers”, J. Light. Technol., vol. 20, No. 8, pp. 1425-1432, 2002. [cited by applicant]
Haritz Iribas et al., “Enhanced tolerance to pulse extinction ratio in Brillouin optical time domain analysis sensors by dithering of the optical source”, Proceeding of SPIE, 2015, vol. 9634, pp. 96344Z-1-96344Z-4, doi:… [cited by applicant]