Thorlabs' O-Band Praseodymium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (PDFAs) offer high gain (>20 dB small signal gain), high output power (>16 dBm), and a low noise figure (<8 dB), making them ideal for use within optical networks as either a booster amplifier or preamplifier. As Praseodymium (Pr) ions in silica transition to a lower excited state nonradiatively, PDFAs cannot be built using silica fibers. A higher radiative transition efficiency can be obtained by choosing fluoride glass as the host for the Pr ions, and Thorlabs' PDFAs are designed and manufactured using proprietary fluoride fiber to achieve high gain and output power. Please see the PDF Emission tab for more information on light emission in Pr-doped fluoride fibers (PDF). These O-band fiber amplifiers incorporate a relatively short length of PDF, which results in a signal latency <100 ns.
Features
- Operating Wavelength Range: 1280 - 1330 nm (O-Band)
- >20 dB Small Signal Gain
- >16 dBm Output Power
- <8 dB Noise Figure
- Minimal Signal Latency
- Operates in Constant Current, Power, or Gain Modes
- Telecom Industry-Standard 980 nm Pump Modules
- No Cross-Gain Modulation, Pattern Dependence, or Modulation Format Dependence
- Available as a Benchtop System or Plug-In PXIe Module
- OEM and Customization Options Available; See the OEM Capabilities Tab or
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Applications
- O-Band Signal Transmission for Data Communications
- Overload Testing of O-Band Receivers
- O-Band CWDM Transceiver Testing
- Silicon Photonic Device Characterization in O-Band
- Ideal for Use as a Preamplifier or Booster Amplifier
Fiber amplifier technology offers key advantages over semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) when used for boosting communication signals. Distortion effects typically associated with the saturation mechanism and gain dynamics of SOAs do not exist in praseodymium-doped fiber amplifiers (PDFAs), leading to improved compatibility with wavelength division multiplexed systems, advanced modulation formats, and high data rates. In particular, undesirable distortion effects such as cross-gain modulation and pattern dependence are eliminated in the PDFA as a result of its high saturation energy and slow gain dynamics. The PDFA gain dynamics are independent of pulse shape or modulation format due to a long upper-state lifetime that leads to negligible cross-talk between adjacent channels. For a comparison between the resulting PDFA and SOA eye diagrams, please see the PDFA vs. SOA tab. Featuring a ripple-free, or flat, gain spectrum, the PDFA produces uniform gain over a number of channels, which eliminates channel mismatches at the end of a link. The resulting clean, stable output is ideal for improving the power budget in data center applications.
As shown in the schematic to the right, the main components of a PDFA include a wavelength-division multiplexer (WDM), input and output isolators, and a PDF. The WDM is used to combine the 980 nm pump laser and O-band signal light before the PDF, while the isolators, which only allow light to travel in one direction, prevent lasing by minimizing back reflections. The input and output isolators also serve to prevent any spontaneous emission signal from entering the amplifier and the pump light from exiting the O-band optical amplifier, respectively.
The O-band fiber amplifier system is available in two form-factors: a benchtop system (Item # PDFA100) and a plug-in PXIe module (Item # PDFA100X). Both systems have identical optical performance. The PDFA100X module is designed to be operated inside a standard PXIe chassis.
Operation Modes
The PDFAs can be operated in three modes: automatic current control (ACC), automatic power control (APC), and automatic gain control (AGC). ACC mode drives the pump current in the PDFA at a fixed current level and is accessible through the front panel of the PDFA100 amplifier or a command through the computer connected to the chassis the PDFA100X module is in. The user can vary the gain and output power level of the instrument by adjusting the pump current level. These O-band fiber amplifiers can also be operated in APC or AGC mode, which maintain fixed output power or fixed gain, respectively. Note that for the PDFA100 amplifier, these two operation modes are only accessible through a command-line interface; the unit can be connected to a PC via the USB port on the back panel of the instrument.
The command line interface can also be used to enable or disable the PDFA100 amplifier, set the current level in the ACC mode, or read status indicators. The indicators available through the USB interface include temperature error, interlock status, and emission status. For more details on these features, please refer to the instrument manual.
For applications that require PDFAs with custom form factors, power consumption, or optical specifications, please
OEM Capabilities
For OEM customers, the PDFA100X module can be adapted to fit conveniently into other platforms; the 100 mm x 164 mm x 38 mm amplifier module core sets the minimum dimensions required. The front panel can be customized or eliminated entirely to suit the user's needs. The rear panel is also configurable for the user's power and communication protocols. See the OEM Capabilities tab for more details.