Multiplexing and transmission of RF signals using an optical fiber

Ultrasonic non-destructive testing systems designed to control huge structures normally use several transducers in the reception stage. To avoid increasing the cost of electronics, a multiplexer is used to send all received signals to the same processing module. Traditionally, transmission of such signals is carried out using copper cables. For special applications (i.e. continuous monitoring of nuclear plants) metallic cables are not suitable because of their high sensitivity to electromagnetic perturbations. Moreover, the multiplexing is made electronically. When the distance between the transducers and the reception unit is large and/or electromagnetic noise is important, signal degradation takes place. The proposed system implements the transmission and multiplexing of ultrasonic electrical signals obtained by means of broadband transducers (up to 1 MHz), using an optical fiber. Optical fibers are made of dielectric materials (silica or plastic) so they are inherently passive to electromagnetic noise. Wavelength division multiplexing is utilized for adding channels to the system by means of fiber optic couplers and different light sources. The wavelengths of the optical signals utilized are located far apart in the optical spectrum in order to avoid serious crosstalk in transmission. The limit to the number of multiplexed channels depends on the optical fiber selected, the spectrum of the light sources and the wavelength division multiplexers or couplers utilized.