Hybrid Optical Amplifier with Single Pump Laser
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and limited amplification efficiency of conventional erbium doped fibre amplifiers (EDFA) and yttrium doped fibre amplifiers (YDFA) due to expensive components and noise accumulation, which restricts their widespread use in optical fibre communication systems.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid optical amplifier design utilizing a single high energy pump laser and two lengths of doped fibre, with an optical isolator and coupler to separate and manage pump signals, reducing noise propagation and amplifying optical signals effectively without the need for multiple pump lasers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional EDFA or YDFA designs are used, then optical signal amplification is achieved, but the cost remains very high due to expensive components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate doped fibre amplification paths into a single integrated amplifier device, where the first and second lengths of doped fibre are both pumped by a single pump laser source. This merging approach maintains the amplification performance of conventional systems while reducing the total number of expensive pump lasers required, thereby lowering production cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The single pump laser in the invention serves multiple functions by simultaneously pumping both the first length of doped fibre and the second length of doped fibre through the coupler. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate pump lasers for each amplification path, reducing component cost and complexity while maintaining reliable amplification performance.
2Productivity
If multiple pump lasers are used to achieve higher amplification, then amplification efficiency improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the amplification function into two separate doped fibre paths (first length and second length) that can be independently optimized, while using a single pump laser divided by a coupler. This segmentation allows high amplification efficiency through parallel processing of optical signals without requiring multiple complete pump laser systems, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler acts as an intermediary device that distributes the pump signal from a single pump laser to both the first and second lengths of doped fibre. This intermediary approach enables one pump laser to effectively serve dual purposes, achieving the amplification efficiency of multiple pump lasers while maintaining the simplicity of a single pump source.
3Reliability
If longer doped fibre is used to increase amplification gain, then signal amplification improves, but noise accumulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The total amplification function is segmented into two separate doped fibre sections (first length and second length) with different characteristics. By dividing the amplification process across these segments rather than using a single long fibre, the system achieves high total gain while limiting noise accumulation in each individual section, as noise accumulates less over shorter distances in each segment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hybrid amplifier design provides enhanced amplification with reduced noise and lower production costs compared to conventional systems, offering improved reliability and performance while maintaining comparable performance to EDFA and YDFA.
Implementation Method 1
a first length of doped fibre for transferring optical energy provided by an optical signal provided by the high energy pump laser at a predetermined pump wavelength to optical signals having wavelengths corresponding to the first predetermined communications band
Implementation Method 2
a coupler comprising a first coupler input port for receiving the high energy pump signal, the coupler optically disposed to support coupling of the high energy pump signal to each of the first length of doped fibre and the second length of doped fibre
Data Source
AI summary
An doped fiber optical amplifier featuring an optical component having first wavelength division multiplexer, an isolator and a second wavelength division multiplexer is described. The isolator supports the propagation of optical signals within a predetermined signal wavelength range in one direction. Pump signals having a wavelength within a pump wavelength range are diverted by the wavelength division multiplexers to inhibit coupling of the pump signals with the isolator. The optical amplifier supports the use of relatively high-powered optical pump lasers. The optical component is optically disposed between different lengths of doped fiber and serves to reduce optical noise within the amplifier.