Patent · US Expired

Method of apparatus for remotely pumping a rare-earth doped optical fiber amplifier and a communication system employing same

US6141468A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
5References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 16, 1999
Grant dateOct 31, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 16, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B10/2916
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for providing pump energy to a doped optical fiber located along an optical transmission path. The doped optical fiber imparts amplification to an optical signal when pumped at a pump wavelength. In accordance with the method, pump energy is generated in the transmission fiber by introducing a power at a wavelength one Raman Stokes order below the desired pump wavelength. The pump energy is transmitted along the transmission path such that first order Raman Stokes-shifted light is applied to the doped optical fiber. For example, if the optical fiber is doped with erbium, which has a pump wavelength of about 1485 nm, pump energy is provided at a wavelength of 1390 nm.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.