Abstract

In optical WDM communication systems, the 35-nm gain bandwidth available with conventional EDFA's sets a limit to the increase of transmission rates. It is important to develop new optical amplifiers in several spectral ranges between 1.3 μm and 1 6 μm, with broad bandwidths and flat spectral gain profiles, another restrictive factor in long-haul systems involving repeated steps of amplification Multi-pumped fiber Raman amplifiers and dual-band doped-host EDFA's are some of the presently developed devices. We study another approach based on parametric amplification which is spectrally flexible and can additionally provide low noise features and the possibility to achieve phase-conjugate wavelength conversion

© 2000 IEEE