Theoretical and experimental dynamic range estimation of the coherent optical time-domain reflectometer

Ushanov S.A., Plotnikov, M.Y., Volkov, A.V., Mukhtubaev A.B., Goncharov D.B., Karpov E.E., Sandrovsky A.A.

For Russian citation (Opticheskii Zhurnal):

Ушанов С.А., Плотников М.Ю., Волков А.В., Мухтубаев А.Б., Гончаров Д.Б., Карпов Е.Е., Сандровский А.А. Теоретическая и экспериментальная оценка динамического диапазона когерентного оптического рефлектометра // Оптический журнал. 2025. Т. 92. № 4. С. 50–59. http://doi.org/10.17586/1023-5086-2025-92-04-50-59

Ushanov S.A., Plotnikov M.Y., Volkov A.V., Mukhtubaev A.B., Goncharov D.B., Karpov E.E., Sandrovsky A.A. Theoretical and experimental dynamic range estimation of the coherent optical time-domain reflectometer [in Russian] // Opticheskii Zhurnal. 2025. V. 92. № 4. P. 50–59. http://doi.org/10.17586/1023-5086-2025-92-04-50-59

For citation (Journal of Optical Technology):

Abstract:

Subject of study. The paper presents an original method for calculating the dynamic range of a coherent reflectometer, which makes it possible to estimate the maximum theoretical range of its operation, taking into account the influence of the power level of the local oscillator and the noise level of the selected balanced photodetector. Aim of study. The dependence evaluation of the dynamic range of a coherent reflectometer on the optical power of a local oscillator at a given noise level of a balanced photodetector and its limitations in real circuits. Method. The dynamic range was calculated for two cases: for a given power of the local oscillator optical signal and for the ideal theoretical maximum sensitivity of the balanced photodetector. The results of calculations were verified on a working scheme of a coherent optical reflectometer, the parameters of which were used during calculations. Main results. The dependence of the dynamic range of the coherent reflectometer on the local oscillator power was determined. The maximum value of the dynamic range was 35.4 dB for a pulse duration of 3 μs, an output optical power of 10 dBm, losses in the reflectometer scheme of 11.5 dB and a number of averaged reflectograms of 215 at a local oscillator power of 225.9 μW. Both excess and lack of the optical power of the local oscillator signal lead to a decrease in the dynamic range of the coherent reflectometer. Practical significance. The use of the proposed calculation method allows to design coherent reflectometers with a given dynamic range and operating range, as well as to determine the potential for its possible increase.

Keywords:

coherent reflectometer, optical reflectometry, interferometric measurements, local oscillator

Acknowledgements:

the research was carried out within the state assignment of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Project № FSER-2024-0006)

OCIS codes: 060.0060, 230.0230, 250.0250

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