Optical Amplifiers
• Why is there a requirement for optical amplifiers?
=> Light signal over long distances become attenuated.
=> Regeneration of the light signal is necessary especially
over distances of perhaps several thousand kilometers.
=> The overhead of photodetection to electrical
conversions and back to light via a lsaer diode. Contributes
to high cost and speed.
Optical Amplifiers: EDFA, Raman, Laser amplifier.
Erbium Doped Fibre Amplifier
• Fibre amplifier
• Core region is doped with Er 3 ions.
• Another rare earth ion dopant that is used is the neodynium
ion ( Nd 3 )
• Host fibre is glass based.( SiO3 GeO2) with other glass
forming oxides ( Al2O3 )
• Important factor: It is possible to have relatively high
concentrations of erbium in the core (up to 1000 ppm).
Erbium Doped Fibre Amplifier
• Refer to energy diagram.
• Erbium ions are optically pumped, typically by a 980 nm laser diode.
is raised to 3.
Er E3
• The erbium ions decay rapidly to . They experience an atomically
long lifetime here (10 ms). E2
• Decays from
• Therefore there is
E3an accumulation
' to E3 and from of
E3erbium ions
to E2 are at rapid.
very sitting 0.80
eV above ground. E2
• This accumulation of erbium ions lead to a population inversion
between E2 and E.1
• Photons at 1550 nm have an energy of 0.80eV ( E2 E1 ).
EDFA
• This triggers stimulated emission of erbium ions from E2 to E1
• Erbium ions left at E1 will absorb the incoming 1550 nm
photons and rise to E2.
• Stimulated emission must exceed light absorption to
achieve light amplification.
• Therefore there must be more erbium ions at E2 then at
E1.
EDFA
• Assume N2 and N1 are the number if erbium ions at E2
and E1.
• The difference between stimulated emission (E2 toE1) and
absorption (E1 to E2) rate controls the optical gain.
Gop K ( N 2 N1 )
where K is a constant that depends on pumping
intensity.
EDFA
• Considerations:
• Spontaneous decay of erbium ions from E2 to E1 will
generate noise in the amplified light signal.
• If the EDFA is not pumped then it presents itself as an
3
attenuator. 1550 nm photons will be absorbed by Er ions
which will rise from E1 to E2.
EDFA
• The range of stimulated transistions from E2 to E1
correspond to a wavelength range of 1525 to 1565 nm that
can be amplified.
• This delivers an optical bandwidth of 40 nm.
• This permits usage with a WDM.
• Problem => Gain is not uniform across bandwidth.
• Techniques must be implemented to flatten the response.
Energy of the Er 3 + ion
in the glass fiber
1.54 eV E 3
1.27 eV E3
Non-radiative decay
980 nm Pump E2
0.80 eV
1550 nm 1550 nm
Out
In
0 E1
Energy diagram for the Er3+ ion in the glass fiber medium and light amplification
by stimulated emission from E 2 to E1. Dashed arrows indicate radiationless
transitions (energy emission by lattice vibrations)
© 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)
Er3+ -doped
fiber (10 - 20 m)
Optical Wavelength-selective Optical
isolator coupler isolator
Signal in Splice Splice Signal out
= 1550 nm = 1550 nm
Pump laser diode Termination
= 980 nm
A simplified schematic illustration of an EDFA (optical amplifier). The
erbium-ion doped fiber is pumped by feeding the light from a laser pump
diode, through a coupler, into the erbium ion doped fiber.
© 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)
EDFA
Factors controlling the degree of gain uniformity:
1. Concentrations of the active ion (erbium).
2. Optical gain flattening filter.
3. Additional (second ) pump laser at each end of the fibre.
One pump beam propagates with signal beam while the
other propagates against it. Ensures that population
inversion and gain remains constant along the fiber.
EDFA
Physical Components of EDFA:
1. Biconical fused fibre couplers.
2. One or two (if high output required) laser pumps.
3. Polarization-insensitive optical isolators front and back.
Allows only 1550 nm signals to pass. Pump radiation
should not enter main fibre as well as optical feedback
from reflections.
4. Optical filter for gain flattening.
5. Phgotodetector system to monitor pump power or EDFA
output power.