OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICAITON

INVESTIGATION OF EDFA
PUMP POWER AND GAIN
XTICS
1 Objective:
To understand the relation between EDFA Pump Power and Saturated Output
Power and Gain
To measure
o EDFA Pump Power as a function of Saturated Output Power
o EDFA Pump Power as a function of Gain

2 Theory:
Erbium-doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) is an optical amplifier which has had a
significant impact on optical fiber communication systems, especially in Wavelength
Division Multiplexing (WDM) systems. With the characteristics such as polarization
independent gain, low interchannel crosstalk, wide optical bandwidth and low-noise
generation, it has been used to compensate for signal propagation loss along high
speed single mode fiber optical links. Among the characteristics of EDFA, gain is one
of the most important ones. However, the gain of EDFA is unequal at different
operation conditions.

3 Procedure:
Connect the signal laser output to the amplifier input and the amplifier output
to the photoreceiver unit using the 15dB fixed attenuator.
Switch on both units and their respective laser diodes (signal and pump) and
leave them for 10 minutes to reach ambient and stabilise.
Since we wish to detect amplified signal levels only, engage the modulation
switch on the Signal module ad select the LOCK-IN detection with the receiver
mode switch.
Measure the EDFA output power as a function of the input power (e.g. -5dBm
to -40 dBm is steps of -5dBm) at 15mW of pump power and plot the results.
Calculate the gain of EDFA by using the input and output power i.e.
o

Gain=

Output Power
Input Power

Plot the followings

M. Abubakar Farooq

12-EE-106

Lab #

OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICAITON

o Saturated Output Power Vs Pump Power

o Gain Vs Pump Power
The saturation output power is the output power for which the amplifier gain
has dropped by 3dB (or sometimes 10dB) relative to the small signal gain.

4 Observations:
4.1 Saturated Output Power Vs Pump Power:
4.1.1 -3dB Saturated Output Power:
PSat(dBm)

Pump Power(mW)

4.1.2 -10dB Saturated Output Power:

PSat(dBm)

Pump Power(mW)

4.1.3 Results:

M. Abubakar Farooq

12-EE-106

Lab #

OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICAITON

4.1.4 Conclusion:

As the pump power is increased the population inversion increases linearly as does
the gain coefficient and the gain in dB. This implies that the saturated output power
increases linearly with pump power but only up to the point of pump saturation after
which further increases in the pump power result in little change in the output
power.

4.2 Gain Vs Pump Power:

4.2.1 Input Signal Level = -5dBm:
PSat(dBm)

Pump Power(mW)

4.2.2 Input Signal Level = -14dBm:

PSat(dBm)

Pump Power(mW)

4.2.3 Input Signal Level = -23dBm:

PSat(dBm)

M. Abubakar Farooq

Pump Power(mW)

12-EE-106

Lab #

OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICAITON

4.2.4 Results:

4.2.5 Conclusion:
With increasing pump power and concomitant reduction in the ground state population
the attenuation decreases until the fiber becomes transparent. Beyond the point of
transparency, the population inversion and the gain coefficient increases linearly with
increasing pump power leading to exponential increases in the output power and gain.
This implies that gain in dB increases linearly with the pump power. This linear
relationship continues until the ground state is so depleted threat further increases in
the pump power no longer significantly change the population inversion and pump
saturation takes effect.

M. Abubakar Farooq

12-EE-106

Lab #