Amplification by means of dysprosium doped low phonon energy glass

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an amplification method, an optical glass amplifier, a laser based on the amplifier and an amplification optical communication system, all based on a limited length of a single-mode glass fiber made from glass having phonon energy of less than about 350 cm.sup.-1 and doped with dysprosium. The glass includes 0.1-30 mol % germanium, 0-40 mol % arsenic, 0.01-20 mol % X, 0.01-20 mol % Y, and 0.001-2 weight % dysprosium, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of gallium, indium and mixtures thereof selenium; and wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of selenium, and mixtures of selenium and up to 50% of sulfur. The system includes a coupler, a silica-based signal fiber carrying the optical signal that is to be amplified in communication with said coupling means, a pump light source in communication with the coupler, an amplifier in communication with the coupler at one end and another silica-based fiber joined to the amplifier at its other end. The method includes the steps of introducing the optical signal to be amplified into the coupler, introducing a pump optical signal into the coupling means, combining the optical signal and the pump optical signal, introducing the combined optical signal into the amplifier and amplifying the optical signal by exciting the electrons in dysprosium so they emit at about 1.3 .mu.m.