Enhanced Sensitivity Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors and Methods of Use

A method of detecting an alteration in a structure having a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor physically associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an apparatus configured to generate squeezed light;
• (b) generating the squeezed light through a specific nonlinear optical process, wherein the FBG sensor is calibrated to respond to the squeezed light;
• (c) integrating the squeezed light with the FBG sensor causing reflected light and transmitted light;
• (d) generating signals by sensing one or more physical parameters of the structure via the FBG sensor;
• (e) converting the signals to data, wherein the data comprises at least one of raw FBG wavelength shift data, intensity modulations, phase modulations of the reflected light, or phase modulations of the transmitted light;
• and
• (f) determining that there is a structure alteration in the structure when the data indicates there is a parameter alteration in the one or more physical parameters of the structure as compared to baseline readings of the one or more physical parameters.