Setup for EDFA stages based on pump power splitting yielding improved noise figure

Abstract

SUMMARYPump power splitting is an effective means to save cost of erbium-doped fibre amplifiers (EDFAs) by providing the power emitted by a single pump laser diode to several fibre coils. However, a major drawback of this approach is the increase of the noise figure with decreasing input power. In this paper, a modification of the standard setup yielding improved noise figure without impact on the achievable output power is presented. Deterioration of the dynamical behaviour is avoided by using a modified feedforward control technique.