Optical amplification producing wider total gain bandwidth
View Patent ↗A communication system and method are disclosed to provide a wider gain bandwidth. One embodiment of the invention is a communication system comprising a transmitter, a Phosphate-doped fiber span, a receiver, and a continuous wavelength light system. When in operation, the transmitter transmits optical signals over the Phosphate-doped fiber span for receipt by the receiver. Concurrently, the continuous wavelength light system pumps continuous wavelength light onto the Phosphate-doped fiber span. The pumping by the continuous wavelength light system generates a total gain bandwidth of at least 120 nm.
1. A communication system, comprising:
a span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber configured to transport optical signals; and
a continuous wavelength light system coupled to the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber and configured to pump continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber to generate a total gain bandwidth of at least 120 nm.
2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber comprises a span of Phosphate-Germanium co-doped optical fiber.
3. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wavelength light system is configured to pump continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber to generate a first gain band having a bandwidth of at least 60 nm and a second gain band having a bandwidth of at least 60 nm.
4. The communication system of claim 3 wherein the first gain band and the second gain band are separated by a wavelength gap, and wherein the communication system further comprises:
an optical amplifier configured to amplify the wavelengths in the wavelength gap.
5. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wavelength light system is configured to pump the continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber to generate a total gain bandwidth of about 200 nm.
6. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wavelength light system is configured to forward pump the continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber.
7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wavelength light system is configured to backward pump the continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber.
8. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wavelength light system is configured to forward pump and backward pump the continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber.
9. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wavelength light system comprises a continuous wavelength Raman fiber laser.
10. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wavelength light system is configured to pump the continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber to generate a total gain bandwidth of at least 120 nm that includes at least the C-band.
11. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wavelength light system is configured to pump the continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber to generate a total gain bandwidth of at least 120 nm that includes at least the C-band and the L-band.
12. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wavelength light system is configured to pump the continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber to generate a total gain bandwidth of at least 120 nm that includes at least the C-band, the L-band, and the S-band.
13. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the continuous wavelength light system is configured to pump the continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber to generate a total gain bandwidth of at least 120 nm that does not include at least one of the C-band, the L-band, and the S-band.
14. A method of operating a communication system comprising a continuous wavelength light system and a span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber, the method comprising the steps of:
transporting optical signals on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber; and
pumping continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with a continuous wavelength light system to generate a total gain bandwidth of at least 120 nm.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber comprises a span of Phosphate-Germanium co-doped optical fiber.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of pumping continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with a continuous wavelength light system comprises:
pumping the continuous wavelength light onto the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber to generate a first gain band having a bandwidth of at least 60 nm and a second gain band having a bandwidth of at least 60 nm.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first gain band and the second gain band are separated by a wavelength gap, and the method further comprises:
amplifying the wavelengths in the wavelength gap with an optical amplifier.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of pumping continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with a continuous wavelength light system to generate a total gain bandwidth of at least 120 nm comprises:
pumping the continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with the continuous wavelength light system to generate a total gain bandwidth of about 200 nm.
19. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of pumping continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber comprises:
forward pumping the continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber.
20. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of pumping continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber comprises:
backward pumping the continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber.
21. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of pumping continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber comprises:
backward and forward pumping the continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber.
22. The method of claim 14 wherein the continuous wavelength light system comprises a continuous wavelength Raman fiber laser.
23. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of pumping continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with a continuous wavelength light system comprises:
pumping the continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with the continuous wavelength light system to generate the total gain bandwidth in at least the C-band.
24. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of pumping continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with a continuous wavelength light system comprises:
pumping the continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with the continuous wavelength light system to generate the total gain bandwidth in at least the C-band and the L-band.
25. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of pumping continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with a continuous wavelength light system comprises:
pumping the continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with the continuous wavelength light system to generate the total gain bandwidth in at least the C-band, the L-band, and the S-band.
26. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of pumping continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with a continuous wavelength light system comprises:
pumping the continuous wavelength light on the span of Phosphate-doped optical fiber with the continuous wavelength light system to generate the total gain bandwidth outside of at least one of the C-band, the L-band, and the S-band.