Abstract
Most terrestrial communication systems currently operate in the second communications window at wavelengths near 1.3 μm. A low-noise optical fiber amplifier would be an attractive component for many of these systems. Raman amplifiers are one of the most promising candidates, having the only silica-based design and due to their transparency when unpumped.1 While it is relatively easy to generate large gains through Raman amplifications (we have observed small-signal gains of >40 dB), the current challenge is to design a Raman amplifier with a sufficiently low noise figure. In this paper, we describe the predominant sources of noise for various amplifier configurations. In addition, we present the results of a successful 2.5 Gbit/s systems test of a two-stage Raman amplifier with net small signal gains of 29 dB and output powers exceeding + 15 dBm.
© 1996 Optical Society of America
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