Urricelqui, JavierAlem, MehdiSagues, MikelThévenaz, LucLoayssa, AlaynSoto Hernandez, Marcelo Alfonso2015-10-222015-10-222015-10-22201510.1117/12.2195292https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/120045WOS:000363281800094A technique based on the use of orthogonally-polarized pulses is proposed to mitigate the detrimental impact of modulation instability on Brillouin distributed fiber sensors. While the theoretical underpinnings of the method are described by introducing a detailed model for the vector modulation instability, the technique is experimentally validated in a 25-km sensing link. Numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the use of orthogonally-polarized pulses not only mitigates the impact of modulation instability, but also the four-wave mixing occurring in systems using pumps with parallel polarization; thus, providing an important sensing range enhancement with a reduced pump depletion.Distributed fiber sensorstimulated Brillouin scatteringmodulation instabilityManakov systemtext::conference output::conference proceedings::conference paper