Abstract:
A low noise optical fiber Raman amplifier with integral Raman laser (FRA) is disclosed. The FRA typically comprises a fiber ring with at least two amplifier stages (21, 22), with strictly counter-propagating pump radiation. Relatively short wavelength (e.g., 1060 nm) pump power is provided to the Raman laser portion of the fiber ring. Appropriately selected and placed Bragg gratings (e.g., 204) provide one or more optical cavities in the fiber ring, such that the input pump radiation is converted to the desired amplifier pump radiation (e.g., 1240 nm, suitable for amplification of 1310 nm signal radiation). The FRA can, for instance, advantageously serve as power amplifier in digital or analog fiber communication systems, or it can serve as pre-amplifier or in-line amplifier.
Abstract:
In an optical fiber light source a section of multimode fiber (51) is interposed between an energizing laser (e.g., a diode laser (49)) and a single mode fiber active medium (43). In a preferred embodiment the single mode fiber active medium is surrounded by a multimode cladding (45) coupled to the multimode fiber. The source may serve as a pump laser for a fiber amplifier (30) or as an amplified spontaneous emission source. Arrangements for coupling several energizing lasers to the active medium are also described.
Abstract:
In an optical fiber light source a section of multimode fiber (51) is interposed between an energizing laser (e.g., a diode laser (49)) and a single mode fiber active medium (43). In a preferred embodiment the single mode fiber active medium is surrounded by a multimode cladding (45) coupled to the multimode fiber. The source may serve as a pump laser for a fiber amplifier (30) or as an amplified spontaneous emission source. Arrangements for coupling several energizing lasers to the active medium are also described.
Abstract:
A low noise optical fiber Raman amplifier (FRA) comprises an upstream and a downstream length (23, 24) of silica-based amplifier fiber, of combined length >200 m, typically >1 km, with an optical isolator (25) disposed between the upstream and downstream lengths of amplifier fiber such that passage of backscattered signal radiation from the latter to the former is substantially blocked. In preferred embodiments counter-propagating pump radiation is coupled into the downstream length of amplifier fiber, and wavelength-selective means (26, 27) are provided for shunting the pump radiation around the optical isolator. The described FRA is advantageously incorporated into optical fiber communication systems. Exemplarily it can serve as power amplifier, as pre-amplifier, or as in-line amplifier. For instance, it can be used to replace conventional opto-electronic repeaters in existing 1.3µm fiber communication systems, or it can be used as power amplifier in a multi-subscriber optical fiber CATV system. In a still further exemplary embodiment, the FRA is used as a distributed pre-amplifier in a remotely pumped fiber communication system.