Abstract
We report the results of experimental and theoretical investigations of
the transmission and coupling characteristics of an in-line multimode
Cr-doped fiber (MMCDF) in a single mode fiber (SMF) optical link. This is
the situation involved in the employment of a broadband MMCDF optical
amplifier in an optical network. The excitation of several modes in the
MMCDF can lead to a severe insertion loss. By selecting a proper core
diameter of the MMCDF, it is possible to achieve mode-matching at the
junctions between the SMF and the MMCDF. This leads to the excitation of
predominantly the fundamental ${\rm LP}_{01}$ mode in a step-index MMCDF, result in a minimization of the
insertion loss at both ends of the MMCDF. Using an MMCDF with a length of
12.5 cm and an average core diameter of 13.5 $\mu\hbox{m}$, we obtained a coupling efficiency of 64.6%$\,\sim \,$74.1% in the spectral region from 1300 to 1600 nm. The measured
coupling efficiencies are in good agreement with our theoretical modeling.
The result indicates that the low insertion loss of MMCDF may be used as an
inline ultra-broadband optical amplifier in an optical link for the entire
1300 to 1600 nm spectral range of low-loss windows of silica fibers. Our
results are presented and discussed.
© 2009 IEEE
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