Optical Telecommunication Band Research Articles

Six-wavelength Raman fibre laser for C- and L-band Raman amplification and dynamic gain flattening

A novel six-wavelength Raman fibre laser exhibiting a dynamic gain flattening capability in the C + L optical telecommunications band is demonstrated. The power distribution in the six lasing wavelengths is adjusted with voltage-controlled Bragg-grating output couplers. The fibre laser was used as a pump source for distributed Raman amplification in several transmission span lengths. For example, the multiwavelength laser provides an on/off gain of 19 dB over a 100 km span of True-Wave RS optical fibre. The measured gain flatness is 1.7 dB peak-peak and the effective noise figure ranges from 1.6 to -5.2 dB in the 1530 to 1600 nm bandwidth.