Amplifier system with distributed and discrete Raman fiber amplifiers
First Claim
1. An optical amplifier system comprising:
- (i) a distributed Raman fiber;
(ii) a discrete Raman fiber amplifier that includes a gain medium and a dispersion compensated fiber forming at least a part of said gain medium, said discrete Raman fiber amplifier being operatively connected and optically coupled to said distributed Raman fiber amplifier, whereby it will amplify signals received from said distributed Raman fiber amplifier;
(iii) at least one source of optical pump power coupled to both of said distributed Raman fiber amplifier and said discrete Raman fiber amplifier through two independent optical paths, whereby the distributed Raman fiber amplifier and the discrete Raman amplifier simultaneously share the optical pump power provided by said source; and
(iv) a controller operatively connected to a variable switch coupler, said controller in conjunction with said variable switch coupler controlling the amount of optical pump power provided to said discrete Raman amplifier and said distributed Raman amplifier, such that the ratio of optical pump powers provided to said amplifiers is capable of varying.
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Abstract
An amplifier system includes: (i) a distributed Raman fiber amplifier and; (ii) a discrete Raman fiber amplifier that includes dispersion compensated fiber. The discrete Raman fiber amplifier is operatively connected to the distributed Raman fiber amplifier and amplifies signals received from the distributed Raman fiber amplifier. In one embodiment, at least one source of pump signal is coupled to the distributed and to the discrete Raman fiber amplifier. The distributed Raman fiber amplifier and the discrete Raman fiber amplifier in this embodiment share optical pump power provided by the shared pump. In one embodiment of the present invention an Erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) is operatively connected to a discrete Raman fiber amplifier and the Erbium dope fiber amplifier amplifies signals received from the discrete Raman fiber amplifier.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An optical amplifier system comprising:
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(i) a distributed Raman fiber;
(ii) a discrete Raman fiber amplifier that includes a gain medium and a dispersion compensated fiber forming at least a part of said gain medium, said discrete Raman fiber amplifier being operatively connected and optically coupled to said distributed Raman fiber amplifier, whereby it will amplify signals received from said distributed Raman fiber amplifier;
(iii) at least one source of optical pump power coupled to both of said distributed Raman fiber amplifier and said discrete Raman fiber amplifier through two independent optical paths, whereby the distributed Raman fiber amplifier and the discrete Raman amplifier simultaneously share the optical pump power provided by said source; and
(iv) a controller operatively connected to a variable switch coupler, said controller in conjunction with said variable switch coupler controlling the amount of optical pump power provided to said discrete Raman amplifier and said distributed Raman amplifier, such that the ratio of optical pump powers provided to said amplifiers is capable of varying. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18, 19)
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2. An optical amplifier system comprising:
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(i) a distributed Raman fiber amplifier;
(ii) a discrete Raman fiber amplifier that includes a gain medium and a dispersion compensated fiber forming at least a part of said gain medium, said discrete Raman fiber amplifier being operatively connected and optically coupled to said distributed Raman fiber amplifier, whereby it will amplify signals received from said distributed Raman fiber amplifier;
(iii) a variable switch coupler; and
(iv) at least one source of optical pump power coupled amplifier via said variable switch coupler to said distributed Raman fiber amplifier and said discrete Raman fiber through two independent optical paths, whereby the distributed Raman fiber amplifier and the discrete Raman amplifier share the optical pump power provided by said source;
such that said variable switch coupler is capable of changing the amount of the optical pump power provided to each of said Raman fiber amplifiers.- View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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10. A method of amplifying an optical system comprising the steps of:
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(i) transmitting an optical signal through a distributed Raman fiber amplifier;
(ii) amplifying said optical signal by utilizing a discrete Raman amplifier that includes dispersion compensated fiber;
(iii) coupling at least one pump source to provide optical pump power to said distributed Raman fiber amplifier and to said discrete Raman fiber amplifier; and
(iv) simultaneously sharing the pump power provided by said one pump source between said distributed Raman fiber amplifier and to said discrete Raman fiber amplifier and;
(v) varying the ratio of optical pump powers provided to said distributed Raman fiber amplifier and said discrete Raman fiber amplifier by a variable switch coupler such that the pump power provided to said amplifiers is not 0% and 100%. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
(i) providing an output signal from said discrete Raman fiber amplifier to an erbium doped fiber amplifier; and
(ii) amplifying said provided output signal with said erbium doped fiber amplifier.
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Specification