Abstract

VSB-AM is attractive for fiber video transport because it is compatible with existing commercial television. It is believed that fiber transport must offer higher system performance in terms of picture quality and system reliability than current coaxial systems to warrant installation of fiber transport. A channel signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) near 53 dB with composite second order (CSO) and composite triple beat distortion (CTB) near −65 dBc may be required as the acceptability threshold for AM transport. An erbium amplifier demonstration by Lipson¹ realized levels of −60 dBc CSO and CTB for a 42-channeI system that used a DFB laser. The erbium fiber amplifier is able to provide these low levels of distortion owing to the relatively small simulated emission cross section of erbium. Erbium fiber amplifiers have the potential to provide a low-cost backbone for AM distribution. The typical loss budget² for a commercial³ 40-channel AM system is 8–9 dB. This greatly constrains the distribution network. The erbium fiber power amplifier can increase this loss budget. Laboratories⁴ have reported output powers of +15dBm with an optical gain of 30 dB.

© 1991 Optical Society of America