Raman amplification

US6624928B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Nortel Networks Limited · CA

Inventors

• Jowan Masum-Thomas · Halstead, GB
• Andrew Maroney · Blieskastel, DE
• Richard D. Thomas · Fullerton, US
• Christopher Fludger · Nuremberg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 24, 2001
• Grant date: Sep 23, 2003
• Expiry date: Jul 9, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/094096
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In a first aspect, a Raman amplifier is pumped using pumps just above and below the fiber water peak. This enables lower power pumps to be used, as the high attenuation is avoided. In a second aspect, a first pump provides a signal having a first wavelength and a first power, and a second pump source provides a plurality of signals, each having a power lower than the first power and a wavelength in a range approximately one Stokes shift higher than the first wavelength. In this way, the second pump source signals are amplified by the Raman effect by the first pump source signal, and the amplified second pump source signals cause signal amplification. The amplified second pump source signals can then include wavelengths above and below the water peak.