ERBIUM AND ERBIUM/YTTERBIUM CLADDING PUMPED HYBRID OPTICAL AMPLIFIER

摘要

An optical fiber amplifier and optical signal amplification method are provided. The amplifier comprises an optical combiner that is configured to receive an input optical signal to be amplified and a pump light beam. A first cladding optical fiber in which Erbium is the only optically active dopant is coupled to the optical combiner to receive the pump light beam and input optical signal. The first cladding optical pumped signal and power of the pump light beam is not absorbed by the first cladding optical fiber. A second cladding optical fiber is coupled to the first cladding optical fiber. Erbium and Ytterbium are optically active dopants in the second cladding optical fiber. The second cladding optical fiber absorbs power of the pump light beam that was not absorbed by the first cladding optical fiber to further amplify the pre-amplified input optical signal to produce an output amplified optical signal.