Enhancing Demodulation Performance of DCM Algorithm in φ-OTDR System Through Temporal Spline Interpolation

For expanding the amplitude-frequency response range of the differential cross-phase multiply (DCM) algorithm in the φ-OTDR system, a temporal spline interpolation (TSI) method is proposed to pre-process Rayleigh backscattering (RBS) signals. Through the TSI method, the discrete temporal signals characterizing RBS traces are subjected to interpolation, facilitating a reduction in differential approximation errors. This, in turn, establishes a heightened level of precision in phase demodulation, especially relevant across extensive sensing distances. By comparing the recovered time-domain waveforms and the corresponding power spectral densities without and with the TSI, the above improvement effect has been experimentally validated by utilizing the TSI. The results show that, with the TSI, the amplitude-frequency response range of the DCM algorithm is enlarged by 2.78 times, and the new relationship among fpulse, f, and D under the root mean square error (RMSE) tolerance less than 0.1 can be expressed as 1.9(D+1)f ≤ fpulse. This contribution underscores a substantial advancement in the capabilities of the DCM algorithm, holding promise for refined performance in optical fiber sensing applications.