Polarization stabilization of the mean wavelength of erbium-doped super fluorescent fiber optic sources

Abstract

We investigate the influence of polarization on the stability of a single-pass fiber super fluorescent light source (SFS) operating under the forward or reverse setup. The measurement of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) spectra obtained using different values for the power and state of polarization (SOP) of the optical pump (980 nm) is the basis of the analysis. The mean wavelength was the stability evaluation criterion used for comparing the forward and backward SFS emission. The results indicate that both super fluorescent sources become insensitive to the polarization state when the pump power reaches a saturated absorption condition. The influence of the SFS spectral range is also analyzed, defining four spectral bands; Ctot band (1520–1570 nm), C band (1530–1560 nm), C+ band (1520–1540 nm), and C− band (1540–1560 nm). We show that the stability of the SFS improves by discriminating one of the two peaks of the ASE emission spectrum, reaching the performance required for inertial grade sensors.