Low noise operation of Er ³⁺ doped silica fibre amplifier around 1.6 μm

Abstract

A novel method of using two pump wavelengths to achieve high gains and enhanced noise performance in the 1.6 μm Er3+ doped fibre amplifier is demonstrated. By launching 82 mW of power at 1.48 μm and up to 1 mW at 1.555 μm, a maximum gain of 31 dB is achieved at 1.57 μm with gains in excess of 24 dB available between 1.57 and 1.605 μm. The noise figure is maintained below 5dB over this bandwidth, close to the theoretical minimum for a 1.48 μm pumped amplifier.