Attenuation and fluorescence characteristics of optical signals propagating in an erbium-doped fiber

For a monochromatic input signal launched into an erbium-doped fiber (EDF), a broadband fluorescence spectrum will be generated with total power approximately 30 dB lower than input signal power. The forward fluorescence power decays slowly at long EDF length due to smaller absorption cross section for wavelength components away from absorption peak. Care must be taken when the conventional cutback method is used to measure the attenuation of the optical signals in an EDF. The backward fluorescence power is saturated to a constant level, and the spectrum does not change for long EDF.<>