Method of determining decrease of optical output power in optical amplifier apparatus and optical amplifier system

摘要

A current Ii supplied to a pumping light source 20 is detected and time-averaged with a predetermined time constant to calculate a time-averaged current Iav. An optical output power Pi outputted from an amplifying optical fiber 12 is detected and time-averaged with the predetermined time constant to calculate a time-averaged optical output power Pav. A reference optical output power Pr and a reference current Ir supplied to the pumping light source 20 when the reference optical output power Pr is outputted from an optical fiber laser apparatus 1 are used to calculate an optical output power expectation value Pex=Iav×Pr/Ir. The time-averaged optical output power Pav and the optical output power expectation value Pex are compared with each other to determine a decrease of an optical output power of the optical amplifier apparatus 1 based on the comparison result.

主权项

1. A method of determining a decrease of an optical output power in an optical amplifier apparatus operable to output high-power light with use of pumping light from a pumping light source, characterized by:
acquiring a reference current Ir supplied to the pumping light source when a predetermined reference optical output power Pr that is equal to or greater than a maximum optical output power being used is outputted from the optical amplifier apparatus; detecting a current Ii supplied to the pumping light source during an operation of the optical amplifier apparatus; time-averaging the detected current Ii with a predetermined time constant to calculate a time-averaged current Iav; detecting an optical output power Pi outputted from the optical amplifier apparatus during the operation of the optical amplifier apparatus; time-averaging the detected optical output power Pi with the predetermined time constant to calculate a time-averaged optical output power Pav; calculating an optical output power expectation value Pex represented by Pex=Iav×Pr/Ir from the time-averaged current Iav, the reference optical output power Pr, and the reference current Ir; and comparing the time-averaged optical output power Pav with the optical output power expectation value Pex to determine a decrease of an optical output power of the optical amplifier apparatus based on the comparison result.