Abstract

Erbium-doped-fiber amplifiers (EDFA’s) will be important in future optical communication systems. The traditionally pumped EDFA can provide an almost ideal amplification of signals in a wavelength range from 1530 to 1570 nm, and it has been demonstrated that it is possible to stretch the gain spectrum to wavelengths above 1610 nm by pumping around 1550 nm.¹ The EDFA makes it possible to develop systems with extremely high capacities in which distribution can be provided over any distance and to any number of customers. This talk will review the most recent and important results obtained for EDFA’s. Some of the issues will be high-output-power amplifiers, high-efficiency amplifiers, and progress toward flat gain spectra. The talk will also address erbium-doped planar waveguides² and will discuss how very compact amplifier devices may be realized.

© 1993 Optical Society of America