Anomalous dispersion in Er3+ and Yb3+-dopedfibers

In experimental and theoretical study of anomalous dispersion in Er³⁺and Er³⁺-Yb³⁺-doped fibers has been developed. Anomalous time delay caused by both absorption and emission at 1.535 μm has been theoretically calculated and experimentally measured. A pump power dependence of anomalous time delay in rare-earth-doped fibers has been theoretically calculated and experimentally investigated. It has been shown that pump power fluctuations lead to propagation time jitter in Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifiers. The pulse interaction due to refractive index change caused by gain saturation is predicted. It has been shown that for Er ³⁺-doped fibers with SiO₂-GeO₂ core composition, the anomalous dispersion per 1-dB gain is twice that of fibers with SiO₂-Al₂O₃ core, which is caused by gain curve form difference. A scheme of mutual compensation of intrinsic fiber dispersion and anomalous dispersion caused by Er³⁺ in the region 1.532-1.537 μm has been suggested     

Broad-band amplification using a novel amplifier topology

A new broad-band amplifier topology that provides a continuous gain across 75 nm (1528-1603 nm) of optical bandwidth using Er³⁺ -doped SiO₂ fiber is demonstrated. The noise figure is low and does not present any discontinuity across the entire amplification bandwidth. The topology has a buried 1550/1585-nm splitter to reduce input signal loss and to provide amplified spontaneous emission suppression. The topology has been optimized using hybrid fiber; Er³⁺-doped SiO₂ for the first stage and Er ³⁺-doped TeO₂ for the second stage, achieving 82 nm (1526-1618 nm) of optical bandwidth     

Cumulative waveform distortion in cascaded optical amplifierrepeaters for multigigabit IM/DD systems

An analysis was conducted of a cumulative pattern-dependent waveform distortion in cascaded semiconductor laser and Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifiers. At 2.5 Gb/s, cumulative waveform distortion limits the number of cascaded amplifiers to about 20 for the semiconductor amplifiers. The Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifier is relatively unaffected-over 100 stages can be cascaded. The Er³⁺ amplifier is seen to be the better choice for long-haul multigigabit systems     

Performance of high-concentration Er3+-doped phosphatefiber amplifiers

The performances of high-concentration Er³⁺-doped phosphate fiber amplifiers are reported. The amplifiers are characterized in terms of gain, noise figure, and signal saturation power in a co-propagating pump configuration. A net gain of 21 dB and a gain per unit length 3 dB/cm are achieved in a 71-mm Er³⁺-doped phosphate fiber     

Er3+-doped cladding fibres and their taper componentapplications

A biconical taper amplifier utilizing an Er³⁺-doped cladding fiber is discussed. A maximum gain of 0.6 dB in a 2.4-Gb/s optical transmission experiment was obtained with a taper about 40 mm long. This result shows the potential of a new structure for Er³⁺ -doped coupling and amplifying components     

A highly efficient two-stage Er3+-doped optical fiberamplifier employing an optical gate to effectively reduce ASE

Highly efficient amplification of ultrashort optical pulses is demonstrated with a two-stage Er³⁺-doped optical fiber amplifier that includes an optical gate to efficiently reduce amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) generated from the first Er³⁺-doped fiber. A gain of 49 dB, an amplified peak power 0f 105 W, and 1.05 nJ pulse energy are achieved for 2-Mb/s, 10-ps pulses at a total pumping power of 90 mW from 1.48-μm LDs     

Gain-flattened tellurite-based EDFA with a flat amplificationbandwidth of 76 nm

We describe a tellurite-based Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) with a flat amplification bandwidth of 76 nm and a noise figure of less than 7 dB. Furthermore, a parallel-type amplifier composed of this EDFA and a 1.45-μm-band Tm³⁺-doped fluoride fiber amplifier achieved a flat amplification bandwidth of 113 nm     

Cascaded Two-Wavelength Lasers and Their Effects on C-Band Amplification Performance for Er3+-Doped Fluoride Fiber

In this paper, we report cascaded two-wavelength 853-nm (⁴ S_3/2rarr⁴I_13/2 transition) and 1533-nm (⁴I_13/2rarr⁴I_15/2 transition) lasing from Er³⁺-doped fluoride fiber pumped at 974 nm. The cavity for cascaded two-wavelength lasing is composed of two fiber ends with 4% Fresnel reflection. Its optical-to-optical efficiency is up to 26.6%. Its effects on C-band fiber amplifiers and green upconversion fiber lasers are discussed. A new way to get high efficiency and low noise C-band amplifier is suggested, i.e., a fluoride-based Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifier including 853-nm lasing cavity. Our simulated results show that such a new amplifier can enhance the signal gain greatly and break the limit of the saturated gain intensity for a normal amplifier     

Experimental studies on wavelength division bidirectional opticalamplifiers using an Er3+-doped fiber

This paper presents a novel structure of an Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifier capable of bidirectional operation through the wavelength division multiplex method. The idea is to combine an Er³⁺-doped fiber, pump devices, optical isolators, and wavelength selective couplers so that two lightwaves having different wavelengths pass each proper isolator. The suitable structure was determined from experimental studies on several basic amplifier configurations. Optical gains of more than 25 dB were attained in both wavelength regions of 1.533 μm and 1.55 μm. Successful bidirectional operation of the amplifier was confirmed by means of a 2.488-Gbit/s-signal transmission experiment     

1.58-μm band gain-flattened erbium-doped fiber amplifiers forWDM transmission systems

This paper describes the amplification characteristics of gain-flattened Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) by using 0.98-μm and 1.48-μm band pumping for a 1.58-μm band WDM signal. Silica-based Er³⁺-doped fiber (S-EDF) and fluoride-based Er ³⁺-doped fiber (F-EDF) have gain-flattened wavelength ranges from 1570 to 1600 nm and from 1565 to 1600 nm, respectively, and exhibit uniform gain characteristics with gain excursions of 0.7 and 1.0 dB, and the figure of merit of the gain flatness (gain excursion/average signal gain) of 3 and 4.3%, respectively, for an eight-channel signal in the 1.58-μm band. We show that 1.48-μm band pumping has a better quantum conversion efficiency and gain coefficient, and that 0.98-μm band pumping is effective for improving the noise characteristics. We also show that the EDFAs consisting of two cascaded amplification units pumped in the 0.98-μm and 1.48-μm bands are effective in constructing low-noise and high-gain 1.58-μm band amplifiers     

Energy recycling versus lifetime quenching in erbium-doped 3-μmfiber lasers

Based on recently published spectroscopic measurements of the relevant energy-transfer parameters, we performed a detailed analysis of the population mechanisms and the characteristics of the output from Er ³⁺-singly-doped and Er³⁺, Pr³⁺-codoped ZBLAN fiber lasers operating at 3 μm, for various Er³⁺ concentrations and pump powers. Whereas both approaches resulted in similar laser performance at Er³⁺ concentrations <4 mol.% and pump powers <10 W absorbed, it is theoretically shown here that the Er³⁺-singly-doped system will be advantageous for higher Er³⁺ concentrations and pump powers. In this case, energy recycling by energy-transfer upconversion from the lower to the upper laser level can increase the slope efficiency to values greater than the Stokes efficiency, as is associated with a number of Er³⁺-doped crystal lasers. Output powers at 3 μm on the order of 10 W are predicted     

Concentration-dependent 4I13/2 lifetimes inEr3+-doped fibers and Er3+-doped planar waveguides

We report on the concentration- and pump-dependent lifetimes of the spontaneous emission in Er³⁺-doped fibers and Er³⁺ -doped waveguides. In addition, we measure the concentration dependence of the 550-nm fluorescence due to excited state absorption (ESA)     

Transient gratings in rare-earth-doped phosphosilicate opticalfibres through periodic population inversion

Transient gratings with R>96% at 1526 nm have been observed in Er³⁺/Yb³⁺-doped phosphosilicate optical fibres holographically processed with 193 nm light. These arise primarily from the index change associated with population inversion of the Er³⁺ ions     

Experimental and theoretical analysis of efficient erbium-dopedfiber power amplifiers

The efficiency of Er³⁺-doped fiber power amplifiers (EDFAs) pumped at 980 nm was experimentally investigated and quantum conversion efficiencies (QCE) up to 0.89 were achieved. The experiment was accurately simulated by a computer model using only measured input parameters. The model was further used in an analysis of power amplifiers pumped at 980 and 1480 nm that included waveguide optimization and Er³⁺ confinement. The QCE can be enhanced by increasing the numerical aperture (NA) and confining the Er³⁺ ions to the central region of the core. At pump powers typically used for packaged EDFAs (25-100 mW). QCE can be improved by up to 60% by increasing the NA from 0.15 to 0.25, and confined Er³⁺ doping can provide an improvement of up to 20%. However, NA and Er³⁺ confinement have insignificant effects on the noise figure when both the cutoff wavelength and the fiber length are optimized with respect to QCE     

Evaluation of parasitic upconversion mechanisms inEr3+-doped silica-glass fibers by analysis of fluorescence at980 nm

The behavior of modulated and unmodulated upconversion fluorescence in Er³⁺-doped silica-glass optical fibers pumped at 1480 nm has been experimentally and theoretically investigated. It is found to be consistent with a model where the upconversion fluorescence is generated by homogeneous and inhomogeneous energy-transfer upconversion. Model calculations indicate an upper limit of a homogeneous upconversion coefficient of 10^-23 m³/s in fiber, and a negligible cross-section for excited-state absorption at 1480 mn     

Improved gain performance in Yb3+-sensitized Er3+-doped alumina (Al2O3) channel opticalwaveguide amplifiers

Small-signal amplification in short, Yb³⁺-sensitized, Er³⁺-doped alumina (Al₂O₃) channel optical waveguides with high Er³⁺ concentrations is analyzed. Taking into account uniform up conversion, excited state absorption (ESA) from the Er³⁺ metastable level (⁴I_13/2 ), and Yb³⁺→Er³⁺ energy transfer by cross relaxation, the obtainable gain improvements compared to Yb³⁺ -free Er³⁺-doped Al₂O₃ optical waveguides are investigated. The amplifier model is based on propagation and population rate equations and is solved numerically by combining finite elements and the Runge-Kutta algorithm. The analysis predicts that 5-cm long Yb³⁺/Er³⁺ co-doped Al₂O ₃ waveguides show 13-dB net signal gain for 100 mW pump power at λ_p=980 nm     

Highly optimized tunable Er3+-doped single longitudinalmode fiber ring laser, experiment and model

A continuous wave (CW) tunable diode-pumped Er³⁺-doped fiber ring laser, pumped by diode laser at wavelengths around 1480 nm, is discussed. Wavelength tuning range of 42 nm, maximum slope efficiency of 48% and output power of 14.4 mW have been achieved. Single longitudinal mode lasing with a linewidth of 6 kHz has been measured. A fast model of erbium-doped fiber laser was developed and used to optimize output parameters of the laser     

Stable operation (over 5000 h) of high-power 0.98-μm InGaAs-GaAsstrained quantum well ridge waveguide lasers for pumpingEr3+-doped fiber amplifiers

A maximum output power of 115 mW and a slope efficiency of 0.92 W/A have been achieved in 0.98-μm InGaAs strained quantum well lasers with a 3-μm-wide ridge waveguide structure for efficient fiber coupling. Stable operation of over 5000 h under 50°C constant power operation with an optical power density of 3.9 MW/cm² has been demonstrated with a degradation rate as low as 5×10^-6 per hour. These results show that this device is promising as a practical pumping source for Er³⁺-doped fiber optical amplifiers     

A unidirectional Er3+-doped fiber ring laser withoutisolator

An Er³⁺-doped fiber ring laser with unidirectional operation without optical isolator has been investigated for different cavity conditions. The fiber ring laser cavity is built in such a way that the optical fields propagating in the two directions suffer different losses. As a consequence, the laser oscillation appears in a quasi-unidirectional form. By incorporating a fiber pigtailed bandpass filter to enhance mode competition, a purely unidirectional tunable fiber ring laser is obtained with high efficiency and broad tunability     

Er3+-doped fiber amplifier pumped by 0.98 μm laserdiodes

The performance of an Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifier pumped by 0.98 μm InGaAs laser diodes (LDs) is reported. By using a fiber with low Er³⁺ content and optimizing the fiber length, a maximum signal gain of 37.8 dB at 30-mW pump power was realized at a signal wavelength of 1.536 μm. A maximum gain coefficient of 1.9 dB/mW at 14 mW pump power was achieved. It was found that the fiber amplifier pumped by the 0.98-μm LDs is twice as efficient as that pumped by 1.48-μm LDs, from the viewpoint of both required fiber length and the attained gain