Interconnected counter-propagating recirculating loops with high-loss loop back path for long-haul integrated sensing...

Area of Science:

• Optical Engineering
• Telecommunications
• Sensing Technologies

Background:

• Integrating high-speed optical communication and distributed sensing presents challenges for long-haul fiber networks.
• Developing intelligent functionalities like seismic detection requires robust infrastructure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a compact, in-lab platform for ultra-long-haul integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems.
• To address the challenge of constructing kilometer-scale fiber links for research and development.

Main Methods:

• Introduction of an interconnected counter-propagating recirculating loop (ICP-RL) with a high-loss loop back (HLLB) path.
• Experimental demonstration of simultaneous 32-GBaud PMD-QPSK signal transmission and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS).
• Utilizing acoustic-optical modulators for recirculating loop control and frequency shifting of Rayleigh backscattering signals.

Main Results:

• Successful simultaneous demonstration of high-speed data transmission and DAS over 3651-km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF).
• Achieved a spatial resolution of 3.3 km for distributed acoustic sensing.
• Validated the ICP-RL as a viable platform for ISAC system research.

Conclusions:

• The proposed ICP-RL with HLLB path offers a cost-effective in-lab solution for validating long-haul ISAC systems.
• This platform facilitates research and development of advanced fiber optic sensing and communication technologies.
• Enables the integration of intelligent functionalities into future optical networks.