Overview 

Improving Distributed Acoustic Sensing Performance with DataSens™ Fiber 

Challenge 
Conventional single-mode fiber can limit DAS sensitivity and sensing range because of relatively low Rayleigh backscatter, particularly in long-reach and high-loss environments. 

Technology 
DataSens fiber incorporates Enhanced Scattering Fiber technology to increase optical backscatter while maintaining characteristics compatible with telecom-style fiber deployments. 

What Lightera tested 
DataSens and conventional AllWave fibers were evaluated across buried and aerial installations, long-reach sensing configurations, Passive Optical Networks, and multiple cable constructions. 

Key conclusion 
DataSens-based configurations consistently demonstrated stronger sensing performance, with the greatest advantages appearing under long-reach and high-loss conditions. 

Explore the field trial results below. 

Advanced DataSens™ Fiber Cables for Distributed Acoustic Sensing 

Distributed acoustic sensing, or DAS, uses optical fiber to detect vibration along long distances, creating opportunities for applications such as structural health monitoring, perimeter security, transportation infrastructure, power grids, industrial monitoring, and telecommunications networks. 
 
A key challenge is that conventional single-mode fiber produces relatively low intrinsic Rayleigh backscatter. As sensing distance and network loss increase, the returning signal can become too weak for reliable detection. 
 
Lightera developed DataSens™ fiber using Enhanced Scattering Fiber technology to increase optical backscatter while maintaining optical characteristics and splicing behavior comparable to conventional standard single-mode fiber. 
 
In a series of field trials conducted with Sintela and FiberSense, Lightera compared DataSens fiber and conventional AllWave® fibers across buried and aerial installations, short- and long-reach configurations, and Passive Optical Network architectures. Tests included controlled weight drops, footsteps, and drone flyovers. 
 
The results showed a consistent sensing advantage for DataSens, particularly in long-reach and high-loss conditions. The research also demonstrated DAS operation beyond passive optical splitters and showed that cable construction, mechanical coupling, fiber type, and network architecture all influence sensing performance. 
 
Read the complete white paper for the field trial methodology, experimental results, and cable-design comparisons. 

Three Key Findings 

Finding 1: DataSens improved DAS performance under challenging sensing conditions 

What the research found 
DataSens fiber uses Enhanced Scattering Fiber technology to provide more than 10 times the scattering signal of conventional single-mode fiber. 

During the field trials, both DataSens and AllWave fibers detected several vibration events under favorable conditions. However, DataSens consistently produced stronger DAS responses. 

The difference became particularly important as sensing distance and optical loss increased. In tests incorporating a 30 km feeder fiber, DataSens fibers detected controlled vibration events where the conventional fiber produced little or no detectable DAS response. 

With a 50 km feeder fiber, all five DataSens cable configurations tested produced measurable vibration responses, while conventional AllWave configurations provided much more limited detection. 

Why it matters 
Increasing backscatter can extend useful sensing performance into environments where conventional fiber approaches the detection limits of the DAS system. 

Customer takeaway 
For long-reach, high-loss, or weak-signal DAS applications, fiber selection can materially affect sensing performance. 

Finding 2: DAS operation was demonstrated across Passive Optical Network architectures 

What the research found 
Passive Optical Networks create a difficult environment for distributed acoustic sensing because passive splitters introduce additional optical loss and backscattered signals from multiple distribution branches can overlap. 

Lightera’s field trials demonstrated detectable vibration events beyond passive optical splitters when DataSens fiber was used in the distribution-fiber segment. 

The researchers also demonstrated a configuration combining DataSens fiber with intentionally introduced fiber delay lines. The delays created different time offsets for individual network branches, allowing signals originating from different splitter paths to be distinguished. 

Why it matters 
The results demonstrate the technical feasibility of combining distributed sensing with shared optical network architectures. 

Customer takeaway 
Enhanced-scattering fiber may enable new approaches in which optical infrastructure supports both communications and sensing functions. 

Finding 3: Cable construction matters as well as fiber type 

What the research found 
Lightera evaluated eleven cable configurations incorporating DataSens and AllWave fibers. 

The tests demonstrated that acoustic sensing performance is affected not only by the optical fiber but also by how vibration is mechanically transferred through the cable structure. 

Tight-buffered designs generally demonstrated greater acoustic sensitivity than conventional loose-tube designs. Gel-filled constructions also performed better than totally dry constructions in the configurations evaluated. 

However, specialized loose-tube cables produced performance comparable to tight-buffered counterparts in some experiments. The researchers attributed this behavior to mechanical features that improved strain transfer and vibration coupling. 

Why it matters 
Selecting a DAS cable cannot be reduced to selecting a fiber specification alone. 

Customer takeaway 
Fiber type, cable construction, installation environment, network topology, and mechanical coupling should all be considered when designing a distributed sensing system. 

Download the full white paper here.