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Advances in Optical Fibers Sensing and Communication

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Communications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2027 | Viewed by 1369

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Infocommunications and Electromagnetics, Budapesti University of Technology and Economics, Egry József utca 18, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
Interests: radio over fiber; crosstalk reduction in fiber links; optical-wireless link

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optical sensing processes and their communication methods have recently spread to many application areas by providing more efficient telemetering abilities. Through the new achievements of optical sensing principles, their devices and technologies have revolutionized the unattended work of modern manufacturing procedures, providing up-to-date products. Both active and passive optical sensing can be used advantageously in this process. In new sensing systems, more efficient, more reliable, and less expensive devices are applied along with up-to-date telecommunication networks, enabling high-speed, high-capacity data transmission with improved reliability. As the demand for faster and more efficient communication networks continues to grow, driven by emerging optical sensing technologies, the field is witnessing rapid advancements in materials, devices, and system architectures. The integration of optical sensing and optical communication systems provides improved economical, fast, and precise telesensing, telemetering, and telecontroling procedures. This Special Issue aims to publish cutting-edge research and innovative developments in the dynamic field of optical sensors and their optical communication methods.

Prof. Dr. Tibor Berceli
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • optical fiber sensors
  • optical wireless sensors
  • radio over fiber
  • optical communications

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1358 KB  
Article
Per-Span Microwave-Frequency Fiber Interferometry for Amplified Transmission Links Employing High-Loss Loopbacks
by Georgios Aias Karydis, Menelaos Skontranis, Christos Simos, Iraklis Simos, Thomas Nikas, Charis Mesaritakis and Adonis Bogris
Sensors 2026, 26(8), 2551; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26082551 - 21 Apr 2026
Viewed by 437
Abstract
The use of long-distance transoceanic cables equipped with high-loss loopbacks enables distributed sensing with a resolution determined by amplifier spacing, typically in the order of 50–100 km. Microwave-frequency fiber interferometry is a promising trans-mission technique for investigating long links supported by periodic optical [...] Read more.
The use of long-distance transoceanic cables equipped with high-loss loopbacks enables distributed sensing with a resolution determined by amplifier spacing, typically in the order of 50–100 km. Microwave-frequency fiber interferometry is a promising trans-mission technique for investigating long links supported by periodic optical amplification. In this paper, we propose a variant of this technique that ensures compatibility with links containing high-loss loopbacks, thereby transforming the integrated sensing approach into a distributed one. We highlight the critical modifications required to overcome challenges associated with the detection of multiple return signals, and we conduct a proof-of-principle experiment using a two-loop configuration. We demonstrate the concept by detecting and localizing low-frequency (<10 Hz) events—whether human-generated or induced by fiber stretchers—with span-level resolution. This validates the potential of the modified microwave-frequency interferometry approach for transoceanic cable monitoring in scenarios where high-loss loopbacks are present. We also present a theoretical analysis that evaluates the limits of the technique across different frequency ranges, in comparison with optical interferometry methods based on high-spectral-purity fiber lasers. The analysis shows that for long amplifier spacings (~100 km), micro-wave-frequency fiber interferometry exhibits a signal-to-noise ratio advantage at sub-Hz frequencies (<0.1 Hz) compared to state-of-the-art optical interferometers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Optical Fibers Sensing and Communication)
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13 pages, 2634 KB  
Article
A Rate-Adaptive MAC Protocol for Flexible OFDM-PONs
by Zhe Zheng, Yingying Chi, Xin Wang and Junjie Zhang
Sensors 2026, 26(1), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26010133 - 24 Dec 2025
Viewed by 560
Abstract
The practical deployment of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Passive Optical Networks (OFDM-PONs) is hindered by the lack of a Medium Access Network (MAC) protocol capable of managing their flexible, distance-dependent data rates, despite their high spectral efficiency. This paper proposes and validates a [...] Read more.
The practical deployment of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Passive Optical Networks (OFDM-PONs) is hindered by the lack of a Medium Access Network (MAC) protocol capable of managing their flexible, distance-dependent data rates, despite their high spectral efficiency. This paper proposes and validates a novel rate-adaptive, Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)-based MAC protocol for OFDM-PON systems. A key contribution is the design of a three-layer header frame structure that supports multi-ONU data scheduling with heterogeneous rate profiles. Furthermore, the protocol incorporates a unique channel probing mechanism to dynamically determine the optimal transmission rate for each Optical Network Unit (ONU) during activation. The proposed Optical Line Terminal (OLT) side MAC protocol has been fully implemented in hardware on a Xilinx VCU118 FPGA platform, featuring a custom-designed ring buffer pool for efficient multi-ONU data management. Experimental results demonstrate robust upstream and downstream data transmission and confirm the system’s ability to achieve flexible net data rate switching on the downlink from 8.1 Gbit/s to 32.8 Gbit/s, contingent on the assigned rate stage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Optical Fibers Sensing and Communication)
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