High order mode erbium-doped fiber amplifier
OwnerYochay Danziger, David Menashe +1inventors
InventorsYochay Danziger, David Menashe, Eran Herman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An Erbium-doped fiber amplifier wherein the signal and/or the laser pump source are introduced into the erbium-doped fiber in a high order spatial mode. A mode transformer is utilized to transform the optical signal or the laser pump source to a second spatial mode. A coupler and erbium-doped profile are also described.
Claims24
A rare-earth doped fiber amplifier apparatus for amplifying an optical input signal having a first spatial mode, said apparatus comprising:
- a light pump for generating light pump energy, said light pump energy having a second spatial mode;
- and
- an optical fiber comprising a rare-earth dopant in optical communication with said light pump, said optical fiber supporting said first and second spatial mode,
- wherein the optical input signal is amplified in said optical fiber by stimulated emission of said rare-earth dopant, in response to excitation by said light pump energy.
A method for amplifying an optical input signal having a first spatial mode comprising the steps of:
- generating light pump energy having a second spatial mode;
- and
- transferring said light pump energy having said second spatial mode to the optical input signal to generate an amplified optical signal.
An amplifying optical fiber comprising:
- a core region doped with a rare-earth dopant;
- and
- a cladding surrounding said core, said cladding comprising at least one refractive index step, wherein said amplifying optical fiber supports a high order spatial mode.
A coupler for coupling an optical signal and light pump energy, comprising at least one phase element and a dichroic filter or a Faraday rotator, wherein said signal and said light pump energy are of different wavelengths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.