Abstract

In an effort to increase the transmission capacity in optical fiber, the investigation of carrier wavelengths in the low-fiber-loss region outside of the conventional erbium gain bandwidth (1530-1560 nm) is currently underway. Whereas gain-shifted erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDF As) are being studied for the longer wavelengths (1570-1620 nm), thulium-doped fiber amplifiers are among the technologies under consideration for amplification in the shorter wavelength range (1460-1520 nm). Although various pumping schemes have been demonstrated [1-3], the only host glass for which results have been reported is fluoride glass. In this work we demonstrate, for the first time, efficient amplification between 1460 nm and 1520 nm in a thulium-doped multicomponent silicate fiber.

© 2000 Optical Society of America