Pump wavelength independent gain with bidirectionally pumped alumino-silicate erbium-doped fiber amplifiers in the 800 nm pump band

Using a comprehensive computer model, it was shown that the effects of excited state absorption (ESA), in the 800 nm pump band, in alumino-phosphate-silicate (APS) erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) can be reduced significantly by using bidirectional pumping. If a band optimum length (BOL) is selected, a near optimum small signal gain (SSG) can be constant over broad pump wavelength regions due to the combined effects of ESA and ground state absorption (GSA). Hence, multilongitudinal mode, high power, reliable and inexpensive GaAlAs laser diodes can be used as pumping sources for EDFAs having SSG > 40 dB, noise figures of <4 dB, and output signal powers approaching 100 mW. These fibre amplifiers could be used as line repeaters, preamplifiers, and power amplifiers in different lightwave systems.<>