Technical Background
Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR)
Luna’s shape and position sensing technology is based on optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR).
Using the basic network topology shown in Figure 4, OFDR provides a means of measuring distributed strain
along an optical fiber with extremely high resolution. Using state-of-the-art phase-tracking techniques to
compare Rayleigh scatter measurements with a baseline reference state, Luna’s OFDR system can achieve
+/- 1.6με resolution over
1.5mm [1] and better than
50m/point spatial resolution
[2]. The OFDR topology shown
in Figure 4 is the basis for a
number of Luna’s core
technologies, including the
OBRTM optical network
interrogator and ODiSITM
distributed sensing system.
A tunable laser source (TLS) is
split at a 2x2 coupler into two
arms of a measurement interferometer, one of which contains the strain sensing fiber. The interference
pattern from this interferometer is measured using a polarization-diverse detection scheme, using a
polarization controller (PC) to balance the signals on the S and P detectors. A second (trigger) interferometer
with a known delay is used to compensate for nonlinearities in the laser tuning.
Precision Shape Sensing using OFDR
Shape and position sensing is performed through
measurement of axial twist and curvature along the
length of a monolithic, helical multi-core optical
fiber (Figure 5). OFDR techniques are used to
monitor distributed strain along the lengths of the
center core and the three outer cores [3]. Members
of this “triad” of outer cores are spaced at 120o
azimuths, at a fixed radius from the center core.
This geometry allows the shape sensing fiber to
convert the multi-core distributed strain
measurement to three-dimensional distributed
position (shape).
Under curvature, each of the outer cores
experiences alternating states of tension and
compression on its helical path through the bend.
The center core, which is precisely located in the
center of the sensing fiber, experiences negligible first-order strain. The three outer cores exhibit sinusoidal