Per-Span Microwave-Frequency Fiber Interferometry for Amplified Transmission Links Employing High-Loss Loopbacks

The use of long-distance transoceanic cables equipped with high-loss loopbacks enables distributed sensing with a resolution determined by amplifier spacing, typically in the order of 50-100 km. Microwave-frequency fiber interferometry is a promising trans-mission technique for investigating long links supported by periodic optical amplification. In this paper, we propose a variant of this technique that ensures compatibility with links containing high-loss loopbacks, thereby transforming the integrated sensing approach into a distributed one. We highlight the critical modifications required to overcome challenges associated with the detection of multiple return signals, and we conduct a proof-of-principle experiment using a two-loop configuration. We demonstrate the concept by detecting and localizing low-frequency (<10 Hz) events-whether human-generated or induced by fiber stretchers-with span-level resolution. This validates the potential of the modified microwave-frequency interferometry approach for transoceanic cable monitoring in scenarios where high-loss loopbacks are present. We also present a theoretical analysis that evaluates the limits of the technique across different frequency ranges, in comparison with optical interferometry methods based on high-spectral-purity fiber lasers. The analysis shows that for long amplifier spacings (~100 km), micro-wave-frequency fiber interferometry exhibits a signal-to-noise ratio advantage at sub-Hz frequencies (<0.1 Hz) compared to state-of-the-art optical interferometers.