Abstract
By using few-mode fibers (FMFs), it is possible to simultaneously determine the values of multiple parameters such as temperature and strain. In this work, we extend this capability to the case of mode-based reconstruction of the distribution of a continuous variable function. As a specific example, we theoretically demonstrate that by measuring the mode-dependent losses of multiple guided modes in an FMF, it is possible to determine the spatial distributions of chemicals diffused within the fiber.