Cybel, Llc.

Alexandre Amavigan

Jean-Marc P Delavaux

Robert E Tench

Clement Romano

A hybrid optical amplifier is proposed that includes a preamplifier element formed of single-clad Ho-doped optical fiber and a power amplifier element formed of single-clad Tm-doped (or Tm&#x2014;Ho co-doped) optical fiber. The preamplifier is used to impart gain to an input signal propagating at a wavelength &#x3bb;in the presence of a first pump beam operating at &#x3bb;, creating an amplified output over a defined transmission bandwidth. The power amplifier element is disposed at the output of the preamplifier element and provides an additional level of gain to the output of the preamplifier element in the presence of a second pump beam operating at &#x3bb;. A passband filter may be used between the preamplifier and the power amplifier to ensure that only wavelength components within the defined transmission bandwidth are applied as an output to the power amplifier.

Broadband hybrid optical amplifier operation in eye-safe wavelength region

A broadband optical amplifier for operation in the 2 &#x3bc;m visible wavelength band is based upon a single-clad Ho-doped fiber amplifier (HDFA). A compact pump source uses a combination of discrete laser diode with a fiber laser (which may be a dual-stage fiber laser) to create a pump output beam at a wavelength associated with creating gain in the presence of Ho ions (an exemplary pump wavelength being 1940 nm). The broadband optical amplifier may take the form of a single stage amplifier or a multi-stage amplifier, and may utilize a co-propagating pump and/or a counter-propagating pump arrangement.

Broadband Ho-doped optical fiber amplifier

A broadband optical amplifier for operation in the 2 &#x3bc;m visible wavelength band is based upon a single-clad Tm-doped fiber amplifier (TDFA). A compact pump source uses a combination of low-power laser diode with a fiber laser to provide a multi-watt pump beam without needing to include thermal management and/or pump wavelength stability components. The broadband optical amplifier is therefore able to be relatively compact device with fiber coupled output powers of &#x3e;0.5 W CW, high small signal gain, low noise figure, and large OSNR, important for use as a versatile wideband preamplifier or power booster amplifier.

Broadband Tm-doped optical fiber amplifier

A multi-stage thulium-doped (Tm-doped) fiber amplifiers (TDFA) is based on the use of single-clad Tm-doped optical fiber and includes a wavelength conditioning element to compensate for the nonuniform spectral response of the initial stage(s) prior to providing power boosting in the output stage. The wavelength conditioning element, which may comprise a gain shaping filter, exhibits a wavelength-dependent response that flattens the gain profile and output power distribution of the amplified signal prior to reaching the output stage of the multi-stage TDFA. The inclusion of the wavelength conditioning element allows the operating bandwidth of the amplifier to be extended so as to encompass a large portion of the eye-safe 2 &#x3bc;m wavelength region.

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Whitehall, PA, United States of America

Alexandre Amavigan