Abstract

Discrete Raman amplifiers (DRA) have the flexibility to provide gain bands not currently available from doped fiber amplifiers, due to growing pumped by a 1365 nm Raman fiber laser. Two WDMs (pass-band: 1300–1450 nm, reflected-band: 1457–1600 nm, inter-band crosstalk: −50 dB) are inserted at the input and output of the DRA. The signal goes through the pass-band and is amplified by the Raman gain medium, while ASE above 1457 nm is allowed through the reflected band. The reflected bands of the two WDMS are connected by an attenuator and a band-pass filter (BPF) to form the feedback loop, with the clamped lasing wavelength (selected by BPF) co-propagating with the amplified signal. Fig. 2 shows the optical spectrum at the output of the DRA for WDM signal input of −6 dBm each, and pump power at 1.43 W. An extinction ratio greater than 30 dB is achieved between signal and the clamped wavelength.

© 2002 Optical Society of America