Qiongyue Kang

Accurate modal gain control in a multimode erbium doped fiber amplifier incorporating ring doping and a simple LP_01 pump configuration

We experimentally validate a numerical model to study multimode erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (MM-EDFAs). Using this model, we demonstrate the improved performance achievable in a step index MM-EDFA incorporating a localized erbium doped ring and its potential for Space Division Multiplexed (SDM) transmission. Using a pure LP₀₁ pump beam, which greatly simplifies amplifier construction, accurate modal gain control can be achieved by carefully tuning the thickness of the ring-doped layer in the active fiber and the pump power. In particular, by optimizing the erbium-ring-doped structure and the length of active fiber used, over 20dB gain for both LP₀₁ and LP₁₁ signals with a maximum gain difference of around 2 dB across the C band are predicted for a pure LP₀₁ pump beam delivering 250 mW power at 980 nm.

Cladding pumped few-mode EDFA for mode division multiplexed transmission

We experimentally demonstrate a few-mode erbium doped fiber amplifier (FM-EDFA) supporting 6 spatial modes with a cladding pumped architecture. Average modal gains are measured to be >20dB between 1534nm-1565nm with a differential modal gain of ~3dB among the mode groups and noise figures of 6-7dB. The cladding pumped FM-EDFA offers a cost effective alternative to core-pumped variant as low cost, high power multimode pumps can be used, and offers performance, scalability and simplicity to FM-EDFA design.

Reconfigurable Modal Gain Control of a Few-Mode EDFA Supporting Six Spatial Modes

We experimentally demonstrate an inline few-mode erbium doped fiber amplifier supporting six spatial modes with reconfigurable differential gain control and excellent gain flatness obtained through mode-selective bidirectional pumping of a custom fiber with a radially profiled erbium dopant distribution. A signal gain of >20 dB was obtained for all the guided modes with a differential modal gain <;2 dB and good gain flatness across the C-band.

Three mode Er3+ ring-doped fiber amplifier for mode-division multiplexed transmission

We successfully fabricate three-mode erbium doped fiber with a confined Er(3+) doped ring structure and experimentally characterize the amplifier performance with a view to mode-division multiplexed (MDM) transmission. The differential modal gain was effectively mitigated by controlling the relative thickness of the ring-doped layer in the active fiber and pump launch conditions. A detailed study of the modal gain properties, amplifier performance in a MDM transmission system and inter-modal cross-gain modulation and associated transient effects is presented.

First demonstration of cladding pumped few-moded EDFA for mode division multiplexed transmission

We report the first experimental demonstration of a cladding pumped FM-EDFA supporting 4 mode groups. The modal gains are measured to be >20dB between 1540nm-1570nm with a modal differential gain of ~4dB among the mode groups.

Minimizing differential modal gain in cladding-pumped EDFAs supporting four and six mode groups

We employ a Genetic Algorithm for the purpose of minimization of the maximum differential modal gain (DMG) over all the supported signal modes (at the same wavelength) of cladding-pumped four-mode and six-mode-group EDFAs. The optimal EDFA designs found through the algorithm provide less than 1 dB DMG across the C-band (1530-1565 nm) whilst achieving more than 20 dB gain per mode. We then analyze the sensitivity of the DMG to small variations from the optimal value of the erbium doping concentration and the structural parameters, and estimate the fabrication tolerance for reliable amplifier performance.

Amplification of 12 OAM Modes in an air-core erbium doped fiber

We theoretically propose an air-core erbium doped fiber amplifier capable of providing relatively uniform gain for 12 orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes (|L| = 5, 6 and 7, where |L| is the OAM mode order) over the C-band. Amplifier performance under core pumping conditions for a uniformly doped core for each of the supported pump modes (110 in total) was separately assessed. The differential modal gain (DMG) was found to vary significantly depending on the pump mode used, and the minimum DMG was found to be 0.25 dB at 1550 nm provided by the OAM (8,1) pump mode. A tailored confined doping profile can help to reduce the pump mode dependency for core pumped operation and help to increase the number of pump modes that can support a DMG below 1 dB. For the more practical case of cladding-pumped operation, where the pump mode dependency is almost removed, a DMG of 0.25 dB and a small signal gain of >20 dB can be achieved for the 12 OAM modes across the full C-band.

Gain equalization of a six-mode-group ring core multimode EDFA

We propose a 6-mode-group ring core multimode erbium doped fiber amplifier (RC-MM-EDFA) capable of providing almost identical gain among the six mode groups within the C band using either core- or cladding-pumped implementations.

Simplified impulse response characterization for mode division multiplexed systems

We present a single transceiver based modal characterization method for estimating the channel impulse response of MDM systems. Good agreements are found between the measured and simulated DGDs of a RCF supporting 5 mode groups.

All-optical mode-group division multiplexing over a graded-index ring-core fiber with single radial mode

We demonstrate mode-group division multiplexing over 100m graded-index ring-core fiber supporting 4 LP mode-groups with a single radial index using SLM-based mode (de)multiplexers to transmit 2×10Gbps NRZ signals without MIMO equalization.