Title :
Thermal properties of an erbium-doped fibre amplifier
Author :
Millar, C.A. ; Whitley, T.J. ; Fleming, S.C.
Author_Institution :
British Telecom Res. Labs., Ipswich, UK
fDate :
6/1/1990 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The influence of temperature on the absorption, fluorescence and small-signal gain characteristics of a silica-based erbium-doped fibre is investigated. The observed changes in the fluorescence and absorption spectra are found to be consistent with a Boltzmann-type redistribution of ion populations within the manifolds of the 4I13/2 :4I15/2 transition. The influence of this behaviour on the gain characteristics of a cooled fibre amplifier is studied at two particular wave-lengths: 1536 and 1553 nm. Significant improvements in amplifier performance are measured at both wavelengths when pumping into the 4I9/2 absorption band at liquid-nitrogen temperatures. The effect of cooling on the pump threshold performance of an erbium-doped fibre laser is also measured
Keywords :
cooling; erbium; fibre optics; fluorescence; impurity and defect absorption spectra of inorganic solids; infrared spectra of inorganic solids; luminescence of inorganic solids; optical pumping; solid lasers; thermo-optical effects; 1536 nm; 1553 nm; 4I13/2:4I15/2 transition; 4I9/2 absorption band; Boltzmann-type redistribution; GeO2-SiO2:Er; absorption; absorption spectra; amplifier performance; cooled fibre amplifier; erbium-doped fibre amplifier; fibre amplifier thermal properties; fluorescence; fluorescence spectra; gain characteristics; ion populations; liquid-nitrogen temperatures; pump threshold performance; pumping; small-signal gain;
Journal_Title :
Optoelectronics, IEE Proceedings J
