A pump power insensitive high stability L-band erbium-doped superfluorescent fibre source

Abstract

A simple one-stage configuration for a high stability L-band (1565?1605?nm) erbium-doped superfluorescent fibre source (SFS) is designed and investigated for the first time. The SFS is realized in a section of erbium-doped fibre (EDF) with a double-pass bi-directional pump configuration. With an appropriate pump ratio of forward to total pump power and fibre length, pump power insensitive mean wavelength L-band SFS operation can be obtained. Theoretical simulations indicate that the proportion of the forward pump power to the total pump power should be 0.2, in order to obtain high mean wavelength stability and high output power simultaneously. For a 19?m long EDF with a peak absorption of 27?33?dB?m?1 at 1530?nm, a SFS with a linewidth of 42.6?nm, an output power of 34?mW, and a high mean wavelength stability insensitive to pump power is obtained with a pump ratio of 0.2 and 82?mW total pump power. Pump power insensitive mean wavelength characteristics are attributable to the bi-directional pumping configuration and the use of a power splitter which ensures simultaneous variations of forward and backward pump power.