Wider dynamic range to a FBG stabilized pump
US7016104B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 2003 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 26, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/1312
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present application relates to a Raman amplifier having an increased dynamic range, and particularly for laser pump sources and a method of pumping Raman fiber amplifiers over a greater dynamic range. In a multi-channel optical system, optical amplifiers must be able to provide gains over a large dynamic range, which is determined by the distribution of node-to-node distances in the network, as well as the number of channels. The present invention has found that the dynamic range of a Raman amplifier can be significantly increased by using pulse width modulation to pulse pump current at or near the minimum current stability threshold, in order to produce lower power output. The duty cycle of the pulsed current is selected to achieve a time-averaged operating condition, thus the time averaged pump power can be reduced in a linear fashion well below the capability of a continuous wave system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.