Developments in linear optical amplifier technology

Abstract

The Linear Optical Amplifier (LOA) is a chip-based amplifier that addresses many of the requirements of emerging optical networks: operation under diverse bit rates, channel counts, and switching protocols, as well as reduced cost and size. In this work, we review the operating principles of the LOA, and describe two versions of the LOA technology. The first is a polarization-independent amplifier that operates over the entire C-band. We present several examples of this technology's system performance, and also highlight its value in coarse wavelength-division multiplexing (CWDM) applications. We also demonstrate a new, single polarization LOA technology, which is designed to deliver high linear gain over an extended range of output powers. We measure typical chip gains in excess of 20dB, and demonstrate linear gain performance for an (average) chip power approaching 15dBm. These results indicate that this technology is well-suited for long-reach, 10Gbps transmitter boost applications.