ABSTRACT
We propose and demonstrate a gain competition mechanism based on a Dual-Wavelength Erbium-Doped Fiber Laser (DWEDFL), for a sensing application. The two wavelengths in the DWEDFL share the same gain medium (i.e. EDF), forming gain competing with each other, which is very sensitive to the cavity loss caused by external parameters. Utilizing this, we implemented parametric measurements, including Refractive Index (RI) and temperature. Experimental results demonstrate high sensitivities of −231.1 dB/RIU for RI, and −1.83 dB/°C for temperature, respectively. Thanks to the high sensitivity and easy demodulation, our scheme offers an option for increasing the measuring sensitivity in optical fiber sensing applications.
