Patent · US Expired

Thulium doped fiber amplifier pumping scheme

US6476960B1 · kind B1 · utility

15Cited by
5References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 21, 2001
Grant dateNov 5, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 21, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S2301/02
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical amplifier comprises a trivalent thulium-doped optical fiber; a first pump light emitting device optically coupled to the fiber for generating a primary pump source at a first wavelength, and a second pump light emitting device optically coupled to the fiber for generating a secondary pump source at a second wavelength. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the amplifier also includes a third (auxiliary) pump light emitting device optically coupled to the fiber for generating a third pump source at a third wavelength. Each of the amplification signals comprise at least one pre-selected wavelength. The first amplification signal has a wavelength pre-selected to provide a reduced noise figure for the amplifier. The second amplification signal has a wavelength pre-selected to increase the optical efficiency of the amplifier. The third amplification signal can have a wavelength pre-selected to populate the 3F4 energy level of the fiber, and to minimize depletion of the 3H6 ground state.

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