OFS Introduces DataSens™ Enhanced Optical Fiber at Photonics West

Enabling longer reach and higher sensitivity for distributed fiberoptic sensing (DFOS) systems

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — OFS, a global leader in optical fiber innovation, is excited to announce the debut of DataSens Enhanced Sensing Optical Fiber, a groundbreaking advancement in distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS), at the prestigious Photonics West event. DataSens allows more signal to be distinguished from noise in a DFOS installation, without the high attenuation that often accompanies enhanced fibers and limits the range of systems.

“The accuracy of DFOS scales with the amount of signal collected from the optical fiber,” says Dr. Paul Westbrook, Technical Manager at OFS Labs in Somerset, NJ, “and with DataSens we have a fiber that delivers more than 10 times the back scattered signal of standard fiber while maintaining attenuation at or below 0.3dB/km. This means a more accurate system, and one that can sense farther away without costly signal amplification.”

DataSens is splice compatible with G.657.A2 fiber and compatible with common and specialized cable constructions. This makes it an easy to install choice for precise monitoring of infrastructure, equipment vibrations, pipeline conditions, and more. The increased sensitivity comes from an enhancement in the fiber backscatter beyond the well known Rayleigh backscatter. Such back scatter is used in well established methods to observe vibration changes in a DFOS installation.

“In a traditional discrete sensing arrays there can be a tradeoff between gauge length and attenuation.  Moreover, discrete reflectors often have uncontrolled spectral characteristics.  With DataSens fiber there is nearly continuous back scatter enhancement over lengths from 100 m to more than 10 km, allowing for any sensor gauge length; and the enhanced back scattered can be confined to a specified bandwidth, allowing for telecom and other sensing signals to co-propagate in the fiber,” says Dr. Westbrook.

DataSens solves the common trade-offs between signal clarity and fiber length, empowering sensing networks to go further without compromise.

Attendees of Photonics West are invited to learn more about this innovation firsthand during an exclusive presentation by OFS Industrial Sensing Market Manager, Regina Pynn:

• Topic: Sensing with DataSens Enhanced Optical Fiber
• Date & Time: January 28, 2025, 12:00 PM PST
• Location: Demo Area 2 (Hall D)

“DataSens is more than just an engineered optical fiber—it’s a transformative tool that enables intelligent sensing systems to deliver high-quality data with unprecedented precision,” said Pynn.

To learn more about DataSens, visit OFS Booth #4505 during Photonics West or explore detailed product specifications and applications at www.ofsoptics.com/datasens.

About OFS

OFS is a world-leading innovator, manufacturer, and provider of infrastructure solutions for communication networks and specialty fiber optic products. Our Furukawa Solutions brand is creating future-ready and sustainable solutions for customers in such areas as telecommunications, medicine, industrial networking, sensing, aerospace, defense, and energy.  OFS is guiding light for a better life through the limitless possibilities of fiber optics.

Headquartered in Norcross (near Atlanta) Georgia, U.S.A., OFS is a global provider with facilities in several countries worldwide. OFS is part of Furukawa Electric Group, a multi-billion-dollar leader in optical communications.

Please visit www.ofsoptics.com

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SOURCE OFS