Abstract

Fiber optical parametric amplification (FOPA) is obtained by four wave mixing (FWM) between a weak signal with one or two strong pump lasers.^1,2 Most attention has been focused on single-pumped FOPA, for which it was recently demonstrated 49 dB on-off signal gain for a pump power of 2 W in a highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF), and its feasibility for real applications was confirmed by using the FOPA as a preamplifier.¹ FOPAs are interesting devices because they have essentially instantaneous response, generate an idler wave that can be used for wavelength conversion, and the spectral region of amplification can be easily tailored by choosing a fiber with the appropriate zero dispersion wavelength (λ₀).

© 2002 Optical Society of America