A system and method for determining an object characteristic from a timed sequence of measured characteristics wherein the object characteristic is determined based on a comparison of a current measured characteristic against a variable reference characteristic. The variable reference characteristic is selected by iterating through the timed sequenced and determining a separate quality metric for the current measured characteristic against each earlier measured characteristic and selecting the variable reference as a function of the determined quality metrics. In one embodiment, iteration continues only until an earlier measured characteristics is found with a quality metric that meets or exceeds a threshold value. In another embodiment, iteration continues through a plurality of earlier measured characteristic (perhaps all) and the variable reference is selected as the earlier measured characteristic with the highest quality metric. The measured characteristics may include OFDR measurements.

The present invention discloses a differential COTDR distributed acoustic sensing device based on heterogeneous double-sideband chirped-pulses of the invention, comprising a light source (1), a 1×2 polarization-maintaining optical-fiber coupler (2), a dual Mach-Zehnder electro-optical modulator (3), an arbitrary waveform generator (4), a first low noise microwave amplifier (5), a second low noise microwave amplifier (6), an electro-optical modulator bias control panel (7), a 1×2 optical-fiber coupler (8), an erbium-doped optical-fiber amplifier (9), an optical-fiber filter (10), an optical-fiber circulator (11), a sensing optical fiber (12), a tricyclic polarization controller (13), a 2×2 optical-fiber coupler (14), a balanced photoelectric detector (15), a data acquisition card (16) and a processing unit (17). The present invention combines heterogeneous double-sideband chirped-pulse modulation and coherent light time-domain reflection technology, so as to double the sensitivity of the to-be-measured acoustic wave signal and to suppress common-mode noise, and further improves SNR.

Hotspot monitoring system for superconducting devices including: —a superconductor; —a first optical waveguide attached to the superconductor for providing a first optical signal; —a second optical waveguide for providing a reference signal; and—interference means configured to overlay or superimpose the first optical signal and the reference optical signal to produce an optical interference signal.

The invention relates to a method for interrogating at least one optical sensor that is provided within or connected to an optical path at a sensor position, the optical path connecting the optical sensor to a near end of the optical path. The at least one optical sensor has a known frequency-dependent course of its reflectivity that is changed by a physical parameter to be sensed, especially the temperature or humidity of the environment surrounding the at least one optical sensor or the pressure being exerted onto the at least one optical sensor. The method includes the steps of: feeding at least two optical probe signals having differing optical center frequencies to the near end of the optical path, where the at least two optical probe signals are time-shifted versus each other in a predetermined manner when being fed to the near end of the optical path, or where a predetermined time shift between the at least two optical probe signals or corresponding optical reflection signals is introduced within the optical path or within an optical receiver using a chromatic dispersion generating component; detecting reflected optical power portions of the at least two probe signals (optical reflection signals) created by the at least one optical sensor depending on its frequency-dependent course of the reflectivity and the optical frequencies of the at least two optical probe signals, assigning each optical reflection signal detected to one of the at least one optical sensor and assigning the correct optical frequency to each optical reflection signal detected using a known round-trip delay of the at least two optical probe signals between the near end and the respective sensor position and/or using the time shift relation between the at least two optical probe signals; and determining an absolute value or a value range or a change of a value or value range of the parameter to be sensed from the presence of one or more of the optical reflection signals or the maximum optical power or the optical energy thereof, from the frequency-dependent course of the reflectivity of the at least one optical sensor and its dependency on the parameter to be sensed, and from the optical frequency of each of the optical reflection signals detected or from one or more dependencies that link these physical conditions.

A sensor comprises: a thin structure, which is configured to receive a force for deforming a shape of the thin structure and which is arranged above a substrate; and a waveguide for guiding an electro-magnetic wave comprising: a first waveguide part; and a second waveguide part; wherein the second waveguide part has a larger width than the first waveguide part; and wherein the first and the second waveguide parts are spaced apart by a gap which is sufficiently small such that the first and second waveguide parts unitely form a single waveguide, wherein one of the first and the second waveguide part is arranged at least partly on the thin structure and another of the first and the second waveguide part is arranged on the substrate.

The invention is concerned with a structured optical fibre sensor, comprising a light source (1), a detection system (2) and a Bragg grating optical fibre (3) connected to said source and said system. The light source is a wavelength-tunable laser emission device (1) comprising a cavity (CA) delimited by a first and a second Sagnac mirror (M1, M2). The cavity comprises an amplifying medium (AM) and a tunable spectral filter using the Vernier effect (F), said filter (F) comprising at least three resonant rings (R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.N−1, R.sub.N) arranged in cascade, each resonant ring integrating a wavelength-tunable reflectivity loop mirror (MBR).

Temperature measurements of photonic circuit components may be performed optically, exploiting a temperature-dependent spectral property of the photonic device to be monitored itself, or of a separate optical temperature sensor placed in its vicinity. By facilitating measurements of the temperature of the individual photonic devices rather than merely the photonic circuit at large, such optical temperature measurements can provide more accurate temperature information and help improve thermal design.

The invention is concerned with a structured optical fibre sensor, comprising a light source (1), a detection system (2) and a Bragg grating optical fibre (3) connected to said source and said system. The light source is a wavelength-tunable laser emission device (1) comprising a cavity (CA) delimited by a first and a second Sagnac mirror (M1, M2). The cavity comprises an amplifying medium (AM) and a tunable spectral filter using the Vernier effect (F), said filter (F) comprising at least three resonant rings (R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.N−1, R.sub.N) arranged in cascade, each resonant ring integrating a wavelength-tunable reflectivity loop mirror (MBR).

In a method for interrogating at least one optical sensor coupled to an optical path, at least two time-shifted optical signals are fed into the optical path and reflected optical signals of the at least two probe signals created by the at least one optical sensor are detected. Each detected reflected optical signal is assigned to one of the at least one optical sensor and a correct optical frequency is assigned to each detected reflected optical signal. An absolute value or a value range or a change of a value or value range of the parameter to be sensed is determined from the one or more of the following physical conditions: the optical reflection signals, the reflectivity of the at least one optical sensor, and the frequency of each detected optical reflection signal, or from one or more dependencies that link these physical conditions.

A sensor system includes a radiation source, an optical fiber, and a detection device. The radiation source is arranged to emit pulses of radiation. The optical fiber comprises a first end and a core. The first end is arranged to receive pulses of radiation output from the radiation source such that, in use, the pulses of radiation are coupled into the fiber. The core is arranged to support propagation of the pulses of radiation along the fiber. The core includes a plurality of reflectors each comprising a portion of the core having a refractive index which is different to the refractive index of adjacent regions of the core. Reflections of a pulse of radiation from adjacent reflectors output at the first end of the fiber are resolvable from each other in the time domain. The detection device is arranged to measure radiation output from the first end of the fiber and resolve radiation reflected at different locations in the core of the fiber.