Abstract

We discuss the application of enhanced backscattering fiber in telecom networks. Such fibers can greatly increase the potential of telecom networks to be used as sensors of network health and its surrounding environment. We describe the effects of increased attenuation and multipath interference (MPI) observed in such fibers as the fiber length and backscattering enhancement increases. For MPI we apply both a well known, approximate three bounce treatment as well as a full solution using coupled mode equations, and we verify the validity of the approximate solution. Our analysis allows us to obtain a sensor reach as a function of the backscattering enhancement level and apply this to interrogation schemes for which the minimum required signal power level and the maximum allowable MPI noise level are known. To show that the backscattering enhancement in our fiber does not interfere with telecom signals, we measure the penalty for signals propagating within and near the enhancement bandwidth in a 10 km length of continuously enhanced backscattering fiber. We find that signals only a few nm away from the enhancement bandwidth can propagate without OSNR penalty.

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