Structured fibers for low noise random lasers and multi-parameter sensing

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This proposal focuses on design and fabrication of fiber structures to minimalize random laser noise in ultra-narrow linewidth (<100Hz) applications to enable us to detect and locate hydrophone sources at sea, as well as to hear abnormal sounds created by defects and cracks in bridges, railways, airplanes, pipelines, power generators (nondestructive testing -NDT). An instrument for real time coherence, frequency drift and monitoring at narrow linewidth (<100Hz) laser will be developed based on coherent optical time domain reflectometry (C-OTDR).The long structured fiber enables distributed multi-parameter sensing in addition to distributed acoustic sensing (DAS). The low noise random fiber laser will create a new class of narrow linewidth laser at low cost for potential novel field applications, which will enables the lowest frequency detection and overcomes current laser limitations, thus allowing detection of pipeline leaks and use in hydrophone applications. Small frequency jitter minimizes phase uncertainty for small deformations and crack monitoring in NDT. The development of quantum noise-limited random fiber lasers and real time laser dynamic characterization based on coherent OTDR lead to groundbreaking advances in random fiber lasers and laser characterization tools. The distributed vector acoustic sensor is highly original and likely to create pioneering contributions to the field of fiber sensors. The proposed distributed fiber optical acoustic sensors will revolutionize NDT technology for monitoring railways, highway bridges, oil/gas transportation, as well as seismic monitoring for natural disaster prevention, which are extremely relevant to Canada. It will also provide new physics for low noise lasers, high precision sensors and optical signal processing units to make discoveries that could not be made up to now. The design and development of structured specialty fibers provide opportunities for low noise laser control and multi-functional parameter sensing. This is extremely original in the distributed vector acoustic wave detection and fiber sensor fields. The enhanced multi-parameter sensing sensitivity enables applications for the biomedical fields. The compact optical test instruments will offer a diagnostic tool with high accuracy and potentially low cost, which will benefit Canadian society. The proposal involves photonics, materials, instrumentation, nano-device design and fabrication, electronics, computer program. It is very comprehensive program that will require and combine students of various backgrounds to solve interdisciplinary problems. It will also create a very fertile training ground to attract HQPs of diverse backgrounds from around the world. I anticipate that training in the proposed program will allow these students to acquire and enhance their technical and management skills, making them highly sought after by IT industry, government and academia.