Wide band erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA)
AssigneeSamsung Electronic Co., Ltd.
InventorsKwan-Woong Song, Seong-Taek Hwang
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Abstract
An optical amplifier with improved output power utilizing less optical fiber components and reduced noise is disclosed. A first optical fiber amplifier is pumped by a first light source prior to splitting into a number of sub-bands, and a second optical fiber amplifier is pumped by a second light source. One of the sub-bands is amplified in multiple stages using a reflector, by passing the amplified sub-band back into the second optical amplifier in a reverse direction. Thereafter, all amplified sub-band signals are recombined to produce an output signal.
Claims21
A wide band optical amplifier, comprising:
- a first erbium-doped fiber amplification stage (EDF1) having a length L1 and pumped by
- a first pump light source;
- a second erbium-doped fiber amplifier stage (EDF2) having a length L2 and pumped by a second pump light source;
- a split section disposed between said first EDF1 said second EDF2 for splitting amplified optical signals that enter said split section into a number of sub-band signals;
- a reflector for reflecting the output of said EDF2 back into said second EDF2 in a reverse direction for further amplification;
- a circulator, provided at the output of said split section, for redirecting said reversely amplified output from said second EDF2 to another direction and for preventing an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) generated in said EDF2 to travel to said another direction;
- and
- a combiner provided at the end of said another direction for combining said reversely amplified output from said EDF2 and a first sub-band signal to produce an output signal.
A wide band optical amplifier, comprising:
- a first erbium-doped fiber amplifier stage (EDF1) having an input and an output;
- a first pump light source coupled to the input of said first (EDF1) for introducing a pump light;
- a second erbium-doped fiber amplifier stage (EDF2) having an input and an output;
- a second pump light source coupled to the input of said EDF2 for introducing pump light;
- a split section disposed between said first EDF1 and said second EDF2 for splitting the output of said EDF1 into a plurality of sub-band signals;
- a reflector for reflecting the amplified output signal from said EDF2 in a reverse traveling direction back into said second EDF2;
- a circulator provided at the output of said split section, for redirecting said reflected amplified output signals traveling in a reverse direction to another direction and for preventing amplified spontaneous emissions (ASE) received thereon to pass through another said direction;
- and,
- a combiner for combining said redirected amplified output signals and one of said sub-band signals output from said split section to produce an output signal.
A method of amplifying optical signals encompassing two or more optical bands, the method comprising the steps of:
- passing input optical signals through a first amplifier stage (EDF1) for amplification;
- splitting said amplified input signals into a C-band and L-band signals;
- amplifying said L-band signal further in a second amplifier stage (EDF2);
- redirecting said amplified L-band again back into said second EDF2 in a reverse direction for further amplification;
- and,
- recombining said further amplified L-band and said C-band to produce an output signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.