O-band Optical Amplifier, Its Classification, Needs, and Working

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O-band optical amplifier, also known as Praseodymium-doped fiber amplifier (PDFA), is one of the rare-earth-doped fiber amplifiers. But before going any further, let us understand the basics of amplifiers in brief.

What is it an Optical Amplifier?

An amplifier can be defined as the electronic device that increases or enhances the input signal's intensity. In comparison, the optical amplifier is a device that is used in an optical communication system to directly amplify the optical signal without converting it into an electrical signal.

Classification of Optical Amplifiers

Optical amplifiers can be classified into two major types:

1. Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOA), and

2. Fiber Optical Amplifiers (FOA)

Moreover, Fiber Optical Amplifiers (FOA) can be further divided into the following types:

    A. Rare earth-Doped fiber amplifiers

1. Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFA), also known as C or L-band optical amplifier

2. Thulium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (TDFA), also known as S-band optical amplifier

3. Praseodymium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (PDFA), also known as O-band optical amplifier

     B. Fiber Raman Amplifiers (FRA)

However, In this article, we have focused explicitly on O-band optical amplifier (PDFA) only. Let's learn about its need, features, and functioning in brief.

O-BandOptical Amplifier (PDFA):

Praseodymium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (PDFA) is an optical amplifier that is used in O-band. Before Optical fiber amplifiers such as O-band optical amplifier or erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) invented, the optical signal had to be first converted into an electrical signal, then amplified, and then converted back to an optical signal again! This whole process was too cumbersome and costly.

Optical amplifiers such as EDFA and O-band optical amplifier (PDFA) were then invented during the 1990s. These amplifiers amplify the signal directly without converting the optical signal into an electrical signal. This process is significantly cheaper, and therefore, it has ultimately started the optical revolution.

Why We Need the O-band Optical Amplifier?

When the optical signal is transmitted for a long distance, such as from New York to California, optical signals have to be amplified several times in between to maintain their intensity. This is because of signal loss from fiber attenuation, connector losses, and optical fiber splice losses. For these reasons, we need optical amplifiers such as EDFA or the O-band optical amplifiers.

Salient Features of PDFA:

O-band optical amplifier possesses the following properties.

1. It has a signal wavelength between 1280 and 1320 nanometer.

2. It offers output power between the ranges of 8 to 20dBm.

3. Minimal signal latency.

4. It also has an excellent noise figure.

5. It is cost-effective. Therefore it is used in many applications.

6. Ripple free gain spectrum.

Working of O-band Optical Amplifier

The optical signal, such as 1280 nanometer signals, enters the PDFA from the input. The 1280 nanometer signal is combined with the 1020 nanometer pump laser with a WDM coupler. Then, the signal, along with the pump laser, passes through a lens of fiber doped with Praseodymium ions.

1280 nanometer signal is amplified through contracting with the doping Praseodymium ions. The 1020 nanometer pump laser excited the Praseodymium ions from lower energy level one into a higher energy level three. From level three, Praseodymium ions rapidly decay to level two and then to level one.

We wish you have learned a thing or two from this article, and it may have also helped you understand what O-band optical amplifier is, how it works, and why we need it.

Inphenix is a US-based company that manufactures premium quality amplifiers and other light sources. Along with light sources, they also deal with lasers, driver boards, superluminescent diodes, semiconductor optical amplifiers, and O-band optical amplifiers. Kindly go through the website to know more about our expertise, products, and services.

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