Experimental study on noise characteristics of a gain-saturated fiber optical parametric amplifier

Author

Inoue, Kyo ; Mukai, Takaaki

Author_Institution

NTT Basic Res. Labs., Kanagawa, Japan

Volume

20

Issue

6

fYear

2002

fDate

6/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

969

Lastpage

974

Abstract

A fiber optical parametric amplifier (OPA) has a unique saturation property such that, with increase in signal input, the signal output power increases, reaches a peak level, then decreases. Around the output peak condition, a negative feedback mechanism works to suppress intensity fluctuations in the signal output. This paper experimentally studies noise characteristics of such a gain-saturated fiber OPA. Two kinds of incident signals are injected into a fiber OPA. One is intentionally fluctuated light with large excess noise and the other is excess-noise-free (or shot-noise-limited) light. It is demonstrated that the noise suppression has an effect both on the excess noise and on beat noise due to amplified spontaneous emission generated inside the amplifier

Keywords

fluctuations; optical fibres; optical noise; optical parametric amplifiers; optical saturation; shot noise; superradiance; amplified spontaneous emission; excess noise; excess-noise-free light; gain-saturated fiber OPA; gain-saturated fiber optical parametric amplifier; incident signals; intensity fluctuations; large excess noise; negative feedback mechanism; noise characteristics; noise suppression; output peak condition; peak level; saturation property; shot-noise-limited light; signal input; signal output; signal output power; Noise generators; Optical feedback; Optical fiber amplifiers; Optical fibers; Optical noise; Optical saturation; Power amplifiers; Power generation; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JLT.2002.1018808

Filename

1018808