Dynamic-performance characterization of C-band EDFA using ASE-power peak-selective feedback gain-clamping

Abstract

We propose and demonstrate a C band Erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) using amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) power peaking selective and feedback to achieve highly stabilized and wide dynamic range gain clamping performances. The gain of 16.20 ± 0.13 dB is obtained with the input signal power dynamic range of 30 dB and the maximum noise figure (NF) was 6.6 dB with the input signal power from -35 to -10 dBm. To investigate the gain variation for the probe signals, we applied a saturation tone signal to simulate 16 channel DWDM signals as it is added (dropped) into (from) EDFA. The gain variation of the proposed scheme at a appropriate ring cavity loss (VOA = 5 dB) is less than 0.13 dB for the input signal power from -35 to -5 dBm and wavelength from 1530 to 1564 nm.