Signal output characteristics of 1.58 [micro sign]m band gain-flattened Er3+-doped fibre amplifiers for WDM systems

Abstract
The output characteristics of 1.58 µm band gain-flattened Er3+-doped fibre amplifiers (EDFAs) for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems are investigated. It is found that the total output signal power is uniquely determined by the input signal power and the average signal gain of each WDM channel, which is determined by EDF length. It is also found that there is a trade-off between the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and the noise figure. The PCE for low-noise operation is ~45 – 65%.