A random fiber laser does not need a traditional resonant cavity and only uses the multiple scattering of disordered media to provide feedback to achieve laser output. Therefore, it has the advantages of a simple structure, narrow linewidth, and low noise and is particularly suitable for fiber optic sensors. This paper provides an introduction to the categories and corresponding principles of random fiber lasers. The research progress of random fiber lasers in the sensing field in recent years, including various aspects of random fiber lasers as low-noise light sources or sensitive elements for fiber sensing systems, is the main focus. Finally, the future development trend of random fiber lasers for optical fiber sensors is explored.
Keywords: light source; optical fiber sensor; random fiber laser; sensitive element.