Publications & White Papers

Fiber Optic Component Characterization
Dispersion, PMD, Loss, Measurement

• Overview of optical vector network analyzer for single scan measurements of loss, group delay and polarization mode dispersion (PDF)
  A white paper describing the Optical Vector Analyzer
• Optical vector analysis integrates component testing - Lightwave magazine (HTML)
  Introduction to optical vector analysis and its applications in optical component testing.
• Interferometric measurement of dispersion (PDF)
  Introduction to using interferometry to measure dispersion in optical components.
• Linear Systems Approach to Characterizing Components (PDF)
  Introduction to component characterization using linear systems theory.
• Interferometric instrumentation combined with linear systems theory yields BER modeling from component measurement - SPIE magazine (PDF)
  Short introduction to how Optical Vector Analysis can be used to predict component performance based on eye-diagram and power penalty simulations.
• Second Order PMD in Optical Components (PDF)
  Introduction to measuring second order polarization mode dispersion in optical components (SOPMD)
• Optical vector network analyzer for single-scan measurements of loss, group delay, and polarization mode dispersion - Applied Optics magazine (PDF)
  Overview of method and theory behind the optical vector network analyzer's ability to complete single-scan measurements of loss, group delay, and polarization mode dispersion

Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry
High Resolution OTDR

• Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (PDF)
  Introduction to coherent optical frequency domain reflectometry (C-OFDR).
• Polarization resolved measurement of Rayleigh backscatter in fiber-optic components (PDF)
  Introduction to Optical Backscatter Reflectometry (OBR) with measurement examples.
• Characterization of Polarization-Maintaining Fiber Using High Sensitivity Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (PDF)
  A paper by Luna Technologies staff that was published by the Journal of Lightwave Technology, November 2006.
• Return Loss Measurement in the Presence of Variable Insertion Loss Using Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry
  The high spatial resolution and high sensitivity inherent to optical frequency domain reflectometery enables precise measurements of distributed insertion loss and return loss events.
• Millimeter Resolution Reflectometry Over Two Kilometers
  Presented at the European Conference and Exhibition of Optical Communication, September 2007. Millimeter resolution optical frequency domain reflectometry measurements are achieved over 2 km of length. This level of spatial resolution over kilometer distances enables unprecedented link characterization in emerging short-haul applications such as avionics and FTTx.

Distributed Temperature and Strain Sensing

• Measurement of Localized Heating in Fiber Optic Components with Millimeter Spatial Resolution (PDF)
  An overview of the technique for ultra-high resolution distributed fiber optic temperature sensing based on measuring spectral shifts in the Rayleigh backscatter signature along an optical fiber. We demonstrate that a temperature measurement with ±0.1 °C resolution can be achieved with spatial resolution of 10 mm, and a resolution of ±1 °C can be achieved with a spatial resolution of 2 mm. We demonstrate how this technique can be applied to in-situ temperature monitoring for high power amplifier module applications.
• Distributed Fiber Optic Temperature Sensing using Rayleigh Backscatter (PDF)
  An overview of distributed fiber optic temperature sensing based on measuring the temperature-dependent spectral shift of the Rayleigh backscatter signal along an optical fiber.
• Temperature sensing in parallel networks (PDF)
  Using optical backscatter reflectometry to measure distributed temperature changes in parallel optical networks.
• OFDR-Based Distributed Sensing and Fault Detection for Single- and Multi-Mode Avionics Fiber-Optics (PDF)
  Presented at the Joint Conference on Aging Aircraft, April 2007
• Harnessing the Power of Fiber Fingerprints (HTML)
  Modern, very high resolution reflectometry can be used to measure the Rayleigh backscatter from the fiber and thus map the imperfections that cause it. Once this map, or fingerprint, is stored it can be used in some very interesting applications from distributed fiber optic sensing to network security and intrusion prevention.
• Distributed Strain and Temperature Discrimination in Unaltered Polarization Maintaining Fiber
  A Rayleigh scatter-based distributed measurement technique is presented in which strain and temperature discrimination is achieved using standard polarization maintaining fiber as the sensor. High-sensitivity Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry is used to measure the scatter.
• High Resolution Distributed Strain or Temperature Measurements in Single- and Multi-mode Fiber Using Swept-Wavelength Interferometry
  Presented at the Optical Fiber Sensors Conference, October 2006. This paper describes the use of swept-wavelength interferometry for distributed fiber-optic strain and temperature sensing in single mode and gradient index multimode fiber. The method is used to measure strain in a four-strand multimode cable under twist.
• One Centimeter Spatial Resolution Temperature Measurements in a Nuclear Reactor using Rayleigh Scatter in Optical Fiber
  Presented at the European Workshop on Optical Fibre Sensors, July 2007. The paper presents the use of swept wavelength interferometry for distributed fiber optic temperature measurements in a nuclear reactor. The sensors consisted of 2 m segments of commercially available, single mode optical fibers. The interrogation technique is based on measuring the spectral shift of the intrinsic Rayleigh backscatter signal along the optical fiber and converting the spectral shift to temperature.