ABSTRACT

The simple optical transmission system consists of three necessary elements which are fiber
cable (transmission channel), light sources as the input and light detector as the output. In the
optical transmission systems attenuation causes signal power to drop through an optical fiber
link, so need to use amplifiers to increase signal power with low noise. Optical amplifiers, They
are a key components in an optical communication system which used to increase the power of
the signal and reduce the attenuation. They perform a most important role in modern optical
networks, allowing the transmission of highest data rates over long distance without attenuation.

There are multiple types of optical amplifiers and the most common used in the optical
transmission system are Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA), Raman Amplifiers and
Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA).

SOA amplifiers use a semiconductor to provide the gain medium, the structure of SOA is similar
to semiconductor lasers. They consist of an active part and a passive part made of a
semiconductor material such as indium phosphide; it has used as discrete amplifiers. SOAs are
fabricated with layers of antireflection coats to avoid light from reflecting into the circuit.
Optical gain takes place when current has directed across the PN- junction, this process causes
the photons to duplicate, generating signal gain.

Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) have deployed in undersea links and now are considered
as standard amplifier using a well- known technology. EDFA has three Categories:

1- In-line amplifiers: Installed between transmitter and receiver.

2- Power Boosters: Installed after transmitter output.
3- Pre-amplifiers: Installed in front of the receiver.

This paper briefly discusses about these three types of optical amplifiers and the general working
principles.

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Table of Contents
Table Of Figures ......................................................................................................................................... iii

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1

OPTICAL AMPLIFIRES ............................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 In-line optical Amplifiers. ............................................................................................................. 2

1.2 Preamplifier................................................................................................................................... 2

1.3 Post-amplifier (Power Amplifier) ................................................................................................. 3

General Amplification Mechanism ....................................................................................................... 3

2. Types of optical amplifier ..................................................................................................................... 5

2.1 semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) .............................................................................................. 5

2.1.1 Characteristics of SOA types: ...................................................................................................... 5

2.1.2 SOA Construction ........................................................................................................................ 6

2.1.3 Amplification Process. ................................................................................................................. 6

2.1.4 Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) .................................................................................... 7

2.2 ERBIUM-DOPED FIBE AMPLIFIER (EDFA) ................................................................................. 8

2.2.1 Amplification mechanism ............................................................................................................ 9

2.2.2 Advantages and disadvantages of Er‐Doped Fiber Amplifier EDFA ........................................ 10

2.3 Raman Fiber Amplifiers (RFAs)....................................................................................................... 11

2.3.1 Origin of Raman Scattering ....................................................................................................... 12

2.3.2 Properties of Raman Amplifiers ................................................................................................ 12

2.3.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Raman Amplification .......................................................... 13

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Table Of Figures
Figure 1. 1 The General form of optical amplifiers ........................................................................ 1
Figure 1. 2 In-line optical Amplifiers ............................................................................................. 2
Figure 1. 3 Preamplifier .................................................................................................................. 3
Figure 1. 4 Post-amplifier (Power Amplifier)................................................................................. 3
Figure 1. 5 General Amplification Mechanism .............................................................................. 4
Figure 2. 1 structure of semiconductor laser chip ........................................................................... 5
Figure 2. 2 Construction of SOA .................................................................................................... 6
Figure 2. 3 Amplifcation Process in SOA ...................................................................................... 6
Figure 2. 4 Schematic of a simple Doped Fiber Amplifier ............................................................. 8
Figure 2. 5 Amplification mechanism in EDFA ............................................................................ 9
Figure 2. 6 spontaneous and stimulated Raman scattering ........................................................... 11

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1. INTRODUCTION

OPTICAL AMPLIFIRES

Optical amplifiers are used to create laser guide stars which provide feedback to the active optics
control systems. They have found widespread use not only in long-distance point-to-point optical
fiber links, but also in multi-access networks to compensate for signal-splitting losses.

They can amplify an optical signal directly, without the need to first convert it to an electrical
signal. An optical amplifier may be thought of as a laser without an optical cavity, or one in
which feedback from the cavity is suppressed. Optical amplifiers are important in optical
communication and laser physics. An important practical goal is to develop an amplifier
adequate for use as an optical repeater in the long distance fiber optic cables which carry much
of the world's telecommunication links. Existing fiber optic repeaters must convert the light
beam to an electronic signal to amplify it, then convert it back to light.

Figure 1. 1 The General form of optical amplifiers

There are several different physical mechanisms that can be used to amplify a light signal, which
correspond to the major types of optical amplifiers. In doped fiber amplifiers and bulk lasers,
stimulated emission in the amplifier's gain medium causes amplification of incoming light. In
semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs), electron-hole recombination occurs. In Raman
amplifiers, Raman scattering of incoming light with phonons in the lattice of the gain medium

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produces photons coherent with the incoming photons. Parametric amplifiers use parametric
amplification.

1.1 In-line optical Amplifiers.

In a single-mode link, the effects of fiber dispersion may be small so that the main
limitation to repeater spacing is fiber attenuation. Since such a link does not necessarily require
a complete regeneration of the signal, simple amplification of the optical signal at periodic
locations along the transmission path is sufficient.

Figure 1. 2 In-line optical Amplifiers

In this application the amplifier replaces a repeater within a long communication line. In
many situations there will be multiple amplifiers sited at way-points along a long link.

Both high gain at the input and high power output are needed while maintaining a very
low noise figure. This is really a preamplifier cascaded with a power amplifier. Sophisticated line
amplifiers today tend to be made just this way - as a multi-section amplifier separated by an
isolator.

1.2 Preamplifier

A weak optical signal is amplified ahead of the photo detection process so that the signal-to-
noise ratio degradation caused by thermal noise in the receiver electronics can be suppressed.
This provides a larger gain factor and a broader bandwidth.

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 Figure 1. 3 Preamplifier

An optical preamplifier is placed immediately before a receiver to improve its sensitivity.

Since the input signal level is usually very low a low noise characteristic is essential. Typically a
preamplifier will not have feedback control as it can be run well below saturation.

1.3 Post-amplifier (Power Amplifier)

Placing an amplification device immediately after the optical transmitter gives a boost to
the light level right at the beginning of a fiber link.

Figure 1. 4 Post-amplifier (Power Amplifier)

Most DFB lasers have an output of only around 2 mW but a fibre can aggregate power levels
of up to 100 to 200 mW before nonlinear effects start to occur. A power amplifier may be
employed to boost the signal immediately following the transmitter. Typical EDFA power
amplifiers have an output of around 100 mW.

General Amplification Mechanism

 All optical amplifiers increase the power level of incident light through a process of
stimulated emission of radiation.

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  Optical gain is realized when the amplifier is pumped optically (or electrically) to achieve
population inversion. Population Inversion – this means that there are more electrons in
an excited state than in the ground state.

Figure 1. 5 General Amplification Mechanism

The device absorbs energy supplied from an external optical or electrical source called the pump.
The pump supplies energy to electrons in an active medium, which raises them to higher energy
levels to produce a population inversion. An incoming signal photon will trigger these excited
electrons to drop to lower levels through a stimulated emission process, thereby producing an
amplified signal.

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2. Types of optical amplifier

2.1 semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)

Figure 2. 1 structure of semiconductor laser chip

2.1.1 Characteristics of SOA types:

Polarization dependent – require polarization maintaining fiber

Relatively high gain ~20 dB
Output saturation power 5-10 dBm
Large BW
Can operate at 800, 1300, and 1500 nm wavelength regions.
Compact and easily integrated with other devices
Can be integrated into arrays

Have a more rapid gain response (on the order of 1 to 100 ps), which enables them to be
used for switching and signal processing

High noise figure and cross-talk levels due to nonlinear phenomenon such as 4-wave
mixing.

Similar to Laser diodes but the emission is triggered by input optical signal

Can operate in fiber wavelength band extending from 1280 nm in the O-band to 1650 nm
in the U-band

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 The limitation of an SOA is that its rapid carrier response causes the gain at a particular
wavelength to fluctuate with the signal rate for bit rates up to several gigabits per second;
therefore SOA is not highly suitable for WDM applications.

2.1.2 SOA Construction

Figure 2. 2 Construction of SOA

 An SOA is essentially a semiconductor laser, but without feedback from its input and
output ports. Because of this feature, it also is called a traveling-wave (TW) amplifier.

 As in the operation of laser diodes, external current injection is the pumping method used
to create the population inversion needed for the operation of the gain mechanism in
SOAs.

2.1.3 Amplification Process.

Figure 2. 3 Amplifcation Process in SOA

From the figure we can generalize the over all process as:

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  Semiconductor have valance and conduction band.
 At thermal equilibrium valance band has higher population.
 Under population inversion condition conduction band will have higher population.
 Population inversion is achieved by forward biasing the p-n junction.

2.1.4 Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA)

Advantages:

Small size
Transmission bidirectional.
Smaller output power then EDFA.
Less expensive then EDFA.

Limitations:

Lower gain (20–30 dB) then EDFA.

Higher noise (7–12 dB) then EDFA.
Polarization dependence.

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2.2 ERBIUM-DOPED FIBE AMPLIFIER (EDFA)

Figure 2. 4 Schematic of a simple Doped Fiber Amplifier

 Doped fiber amplifiers (DFAs) are optical amplifiers that use a doped optical fiber as a
gain medium to amplify an optical signal. They are related to fiber lasers. The signal to
be amplified and a pump laser are multiplexed into the doped fiber, and the signal is
amplified through interaction with the doping ions.

 Erbium's principal involve its pink-colored Er3+ ions, which have optical fluorescent
properties particularly useful in certain laser applications. silica doped with erbium is
good for long distance communication.

 Amplification is achieved by stimulated emission of photons from dopant ions in the

doped fiber. The pump laser excites ions into a higher energy from where they can decay
via stimulated emission of a photon at the signal wavelength back to a lower energy level.

EDFAs:

 The most common material for long-haul telecommunication applications is a silica fiber
doped with erbium that is why it is known as EDFA.

 Works best in the range 1530 to 1565 nm

 Gain up to 30 dB (1000 photons out per photon in!)

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2.2.1 Amplification mechanism

Figure 2. 5 Amplification mechanism in EDFA

From the figure we can generalize the over all process as:

 Optical amplifier uses optical pumping.

 Pumping gives energy to electrons to reach the excited state.
 After reaching its excited state, the electron must release some energy and drop to the
lower level.
 Here a signal photon can then trigger the excited electron into stimulated emission. And
electron releases its remaining energy in the form of new photon.

A relatively high-powered beam of light is mixed with the input signal using a
wavelength selective coupler. The input signal and the excitation light must be at significantly
different wavelengths. The mixed light is guided into a section of fiber with erbium ions included
in the core. This high-powered light beam excites the erbium ions to their higher-energy state.
When the photons belonging to the signal at a different wavelength from the pump light meet the
excited erbium atoms, the erbium atoms give up some of their energy to the signal and return to
their lower-energy state. A significant point is that the erbium gives up its energy in the form of
additional photons which are exactly in the same phase and direction as the signal being
amplified. So the signal is amplified along its direction of travel only. This is not unusual - when
an atom “lases” it always gives up its energy in the same direction and phase as the incoming

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light. Thus all of the additional signal power is guided in the same fiber mode as the incoming
signal. There is usually an isolator placed at the output to prevent reflections returning from the
attached fiber. Such reflections disrupt amplifier operation and in the extreme case can cause the
amplifier to become a laser.

2.2.2 Advantages and disadvantages of Er‐Doped Fiber Amplifier EDFA

Advantages:

High gain (40–50 dB)

Low noise (3–5 dB)

Low polarization sensitivity,

EDFAs are fully compatible with the rest of the fiber optic transmission link.

Limitations:

Large size,

High pump power consumption (efficiency ‐ 10dB/1

mW).

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2.3 Raman Fiber Amplifiers (RFAs)

A Raman amplifier is a device which takes input 𝜔𝑠 and amplified in the same direction or
opposite direction with pump laser 𝜔𝑃. Raman scattering, especially if it is stimulated, is a very
important non-linear effect because it affects the SNR in a WDM system. It can also be used for
amplification of the optical signals in a long haul optical communication link.

The spontaneous Raman scattering was discovered by Sir C. V. Raman. In case of spontaneous
Raman scattering, a small portion of the incident light is transformed into a new wave with lower
or higher frequency. This transformation is because of the interaction of the photon with the
vibrational modes of the material. RFAs can be used as a standalone amplifier or as a distributed
amplifier in conjunction with an EDFA. The transformation efficiency of spontaneous Raman
scattering is very low. Typically photons 1 part per million are transformed to the new
wavelength per cm length of the medium. Contrary to spontaneous Raman scattering, stimulated
Raman scattering can transform a large fraction of the incident light in the new frequency-shifted
wave. Because its non linearity, requires very high pump powers (watts). The basic difference
between spontaneous and stimulated Raman scattering is shown in Figure bellow.

Figure 2. 6 spontaneous and stimulated Raman scattering

The important thing to note is, the stimulated process can be used for light amplification. If a
small signal at Stokes frequency is present along with the pump, the signal gets amplified
keeping all the characteristics of the input signal.

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2.3.1 Origin of Raman Scattering

In principle, spontaneous Raman scattering can be observed in any material. If a medium is

irradiated by an intense monochromatic light and if the scattered light is studied with a
spectrometer, the scattered light shows new wavelengths in addition to the original wavelength.

The wave which irradiates the material is called the Pump wave, the waves with lower
frequencies are called the Stokes waves, and the waves with higher frequency are called the
Anti-Stokes waves. The intensity of the Stokes waves is many orders of magnitude higher than
the intensity of the anti-Stokes waves.

2.3.2 Properties of Raman Amplifiers

The peak resonance in silica fibers occurs about 13 THz from the pump wavelength. At 1550
nm this corresponds to a shift of about 100 nm.

Figure 2. 7 Raman Amplifiers power delivery representation.

As indicated power is transferred from shorter wavelengths to longer wavelengths.

Coupling with the pump wavelength can be accomplished either in the forward or counter
propagating direction.
Power is coupled from the pump only if the signal channel is sending a 1 bit.

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 Since the Raman gain peaks around 13THz frequency shift, channels separated by about
100nm influence each other maximally. In other words, channels from different bands
like L, C influence each other more. Nevertheless, channels within a band also influence
each other though to a lesser extent.

2.3.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Raman Amplification

Advantages

Variable wavelength amplification possible

Compatible with installed SM fiber
Can be used to "extend" EDFAs
Can result in a lower average power over a span, good for lower crosstalk
Very broadband operation may be possible
Low noise (3–5 dB)
Wide gain bandwidth (up to 10 nm)
Distributed amplification within the transmission fiber

Disadvantages

High pump power requirements, high pump power lasers have only recently arrived
Sophisticated gain control needed
Noise is also an issue.
Low gain (10 dB).
Requirement of high pump power.

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