Abstract
We propose a new method of enhancing the Brillouin scattering signal with a relatively low-cost low-power erbium-doped fiber amplifier by using pulsed pump light. When a pulsed pump light with an average optical power of 20 mW, a duty ratio of 20%, and a pulse period of 2 µs was injected into a 1-km-long silica single-mode fiber, the Brillouin signal was enhanced by 25 dB relative to that with a continuous-wave pump light having the same average power. We believe that this method can also be used to enhance the weak Brillouin scattering signal in polymer optical fibers for its detailed characterization.