Numerical analysis of multifrequency erbium-doped

fibre ring laser employing periodic filter and

frequency shifter

M.Karasek and A.Bellemare

Abstract: Numerical analysis of a recently proposed multifrequency erbium-doped ring laser

employing a frequency periodic filter and frequency shifter is presented. The model is based on a
homogeneously broadened three-level approximation of an erbium ion. The multifrequency
operation is achieved by shifting the frequency of the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE)
power circulating in the ring cavity by one wavelength slot each circulation period to prevent
steady-state single-frequency laser operation. The effect of cavity loss, erbium-doped fibre (EDF)
gain, direction of ASE circulation on lasing spectrum uniformity and output power is investigated.

1 Introduction spatial holeburning. Multiple wavelength operation of a

With practical implementation of wavelength division
multiplexed (WDM) communication systems, multiple
wavelength laser sources are of considerable interest.
They can also find applications in loss measurements of
optical components, spectroscopy and lidar. Multiple
wavelength lasers should provide signals with sufficient
wavelength stability, high signal-to-ASE ratio and should
be easily implemented. Different approaches have been
suggested and experimentally tested to achieve concurrent
lasing at several wavelengths in both semiconductor and
fibre lasers. Multiple wavelength semiconductor lasers
reported so far have been based on an array of physically
separated gain media with lasing wavelengths determined
by diffraction gratings. Output powers at different wave-
lengths were combined into a singlemode fiber [l, 21. To
achieve simultaneous multiple wavelength operation in a
rare-earth doped fibre laser, the predominantly homoge-
nous line broadening at room temperature must be over-
come. Otherwise, the gain will be clamped by the resonator
loss at only one lasing frequency and separate gain media
must be used for each wavelength channel [3, 41. In [5-71
single erbium-doped fibre (EDF) was cooled in liquid
nitrogen to 77K to reduce the homogeneous broadening
and cross-gain saturation effects in the fibre. Different
types of filters were used to realise the wavelength selec-
tivity. Er3"-doped twincore fibre was used in [8] to provide
an inhomogeneous gain medium through macroscopic
0 IEE, 2000
IEE Proceedings online no. 20000286
DOI: IO. 1049/ip-opt:20000286
Paper first received 6th July and in revised form 23rd November 1999
The authors are with the Centre for Optics, Photonics and Lasers (COPL)
Lava1 University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Quebec (Quibec), Canada CIK 7P4
E-mail: karasek@gel.ulaval.ca
M. Karasek is on leave of absence from the Institute of Radio Engineering
and Electronics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Chaberska
57, 182 5 1 Prague
IEE Proc.-Optoelectron.,Vol. 147, No. 2. April 2000
hybrid brillouin-erbium fiber laser is described in [9]. The
primary role of the brillouin gain in a singlemode optical
fibre has been a narrow passband with an accurate Stokes
frequency shift from the brillouin pump signal. Multi-
frequency operation in a single erbium-doped fibre (EDF)
ring laser was recently reported in [lo, 111 by adding a
frequency shifter in the cavity to prevent steady-state
oscillations. Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE)
power generated in an erbium-doped fibre amplifier
(EDFA) circulates in a ring resonator. ASE is repeatedly
sliced by a frequency periodic bandpass filter and
frequency shifted by an acousto-optic frequency shifter.
In this paper we present results of a numerical analysis
of a multifrequency erbium-doped fibre laser (MF-EDFL),
experimentally described in [ 10, 113. The simulation is
based on an application of a numerical model resolved in
space and frequency. The effect of total ring cavity loss,
pump power, pump configuration and the frequency peri-
odic filter bandwidth on the spectral characteristics of the
MF-EDFL is investigated.
2 Numerical model and results
The performance of the MF-EDFL has been simulated
using a numerical model resolved in space and frequency.
Although our experimental arrangement [ 1 11 comprised
two EDFAs, the numerical model follows the experimental
configuration of the MF-EDFL in [ 101 as shown in Fig. 1
because the effect of individual MF-EDFL parameters on
laser performance can be more clearly identified for a
single EDFA configuration. The MF-EDFA model assumes
bi-directional pumping at 980 nm, the forward propagating
ASE power generated in the amplifier is filtered by a
multifrequency band-limited frequency periodic filter and
the homogeneous line broadening of the active media is
suppressed by shifting the wavelength of circulating ASE
power by an acousto-optic frequency shifter. The model is
based on a homogeneously broadened two-level approx-
imation of an erbium ion and has been described in [12].
The 41, pumping level is assumed to be unpopulated, the
I 15
 3 dB output
coupler
coupler coupler
f I I
isolator
freauencv periodic
shifter filter
Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of MF-EDFL
atomic population densities n,, n2 (averaged over EDF
cross-section) at the ground and metastable energy levels
4115/2,41,3/2are given by the rate equations
where z21 is the spontaneous emission lifetime, and Wsa,
W,, and Wp are the stimulated absorption, stimulated
emission and pumping rates, respectively
In these equations 0 5 ,are the appropriate emissionlabsorp-
tion cross-sections, h is the Planck’s constant, P,*(z),
P;(z), PAsE+(z,v), and PAsE-(z, vj are the copropagating
and counterpropagating pump powers and the copropagat-
ing and counterpropagating ASE powers at frequency v in
a frequency interval AV and at a longitudinal fibre coordi-
nate z, A,$ is the effective fibre core area, and y(v) are the
overlap integrals between the LPOJmode intensity distribu-
tion and the erbium doping density function p(r)
All emission and absorption cross-sections included in the
model are spectrally resolved. The spectral region from
1450 to 1650nm has been subdivided into 2000 slots of
6 1 = 0.1 nm.
116
The propagation of the pump, and both the ASE’,
ASE- powers is described by the following propagation
equations:
dZ ’) - f2hvAvge(z, v)
dpAsEi(z’
where g,(z,v) and gu(z,v) are the emission and absorption
factors
An iterative solution of the rate equations and propagation
equations for the pump and both the forward and backward
propagating amplified spontaneous emission powers is
implemented using a fourth-order Runge-Kutta routine.
The boundary conditions for the pump and ASE powers
are defined at the beginning and end of the active fibre
(z = 0, L), and an optical isolator suppresses the backward
propagating ASE power
= L , Vi) = P$&(Z = 0, Vi-l)F(V)Mri,gcxoi (8)
where the upper index k at PisEi denotes the iteration
number, aringrepresents the total loss of the ring resonator
and is composed of the losses of the periodic filter, frequency
shifter and the 3 dB output coupler, clOi is the isolation of the
optical isolator and F(v) is the transmittance of the frequency
periodic filter. When travelling through the ring resonator,
spectral components of the ASE are frequency shifted by one
frequency slot (AA = 0.1 nm) each time during the iteration
process, as apparent from the boundary conditions (8).
Owing to the given resolution of our EDF spectral data, we
were not able to simulate the experimentally used frequency
shift of 100 MHz. The increase in the shift to 2 AA and 3 AA
did not have a substantial effect on the spectral shape and
output power of the MF-EDFL. For counter-directional and
bi-directional pump configurations the boundary conditions
must be modified.
In the analysis, a typical Lucent Technology EDF was
considered. The period filter which was implemented in
[l 11 as a Fabry-Perot micro-etalon in series with a gate
type chirped Bragg grating bandpass filter was simulated
by the superposition of 22 Gaussian bandpass filters with
central frequencies shifted by 0.8 nm and full width at half
maximum (FWHM) of 0.15 nm. Transmittance of the first
five and the last five filters linearly decreased with 5 dB/nm
slope as shown Fig. 2. The flat transmittance range starts at
1546.7 and ends at 1555.5nm.
First, we will demonstrate that the multifrequency opera-
tion of the EDF ring laser is impossible without shifting the
frequency of the ASE spectral components each time they
pass the ring resonator. Figs. 3a and b show the power
spectrum of the MF-EDFL for the case where the frequency
shifter is switched off (AA = 0) or on (AA = 0.1 nm). Without
shifting the frequency, one strong single lasing line develops
at A = 1555.5 nm, at the wavelength ofthe highest gain. With
the frequency shifter on, the homogeneous broadening of the
IEE Proc.-Optoelechon.,Vol. 147, No. 2, April 2000
 the experimental results presented in [ 1 I] and shown in Fig.
1.o 4. In our experiment, the arrangement losses of the
frequency shifter and the periodic filter were rather high,
0.8 ashlJt= 8 dB and afillr= 8 dB, respectively. Two-stage EDFA
a, configuration was therefore adopted.
0.6 Next, the pump power of the EDFA and the total ring
._
loss were fixed at Pp' = 100 mW, a,,,g = 10 dB and the
E,

?()
5 0.4 effect of EDF length L was investigated. To obtain a flat
c
output power spectrum for a given Pp, alzng,the EDF length
0.2 must be carehlly selected to keep N2 as close to E 0.68 as
possible to achieve appropriate EDF saturation, which
results in a flat ASE power spectrum in the range from
0
1542 to 1560nm. Fig. 5a and b show the MF-EDFL output
1540 1545 1550 1555 1560
h, nm
Fig. 2 Transmittance of frequency periodic filter used for numerical
simulation of &IF-EDFL

g -10
20 U
t
2 -20
Q
c
Q
3

m
2 -30
U

-40
I I I I I I I

1540 1545 1550 1555 1560

h, nm
Fig. 4 Experimentally obtained spectrum of MF-EDFL for wideband
operation

a
0

E
m, -10
E L-

m,c -10 $
Q

5
Q
c
c
a -20
c

Q
3 0
4 -20
-30

1540 1545 1550 1555 1560

h, nm 0
b
Fig. 3 Output power us U firmtion of wavelength for L = 4 O m,
= 1OOmK = lOdB E
g -10
a Ai=Onm 5
b A i = 0.2 nm
6
Q
L

2 -20
c
gain media is efficiently suppressed . \ i d the output power 0
spectrum of the MF-EDFL almost copies the transmittance
of the periodic filter. The output power ripple within the flat
-30
transmittance range of the filter is less than
MO,,< f0.2 dB, and the length-averaged metastable level
1540 1545 1550 1555 1560
population density N2 = I/L,J~n2(z)dz,( p is the erbium
h, nm
concentration) is equal to N2 = 0.6805. For the above simu- b
lation, the following MF-EDFL parameters were selected: an Fig. 5 Output power as a function of wavelength for = IOOmK
EDF length L =40m, pump power P i = IOOmW, and a,g = IO dB
= 10 dB. The spectrum of the MF-EDFL output a L=30 m
power shown in Fig. 3b is in qualitative agreement with b L=50 m

IEE Proc.-Optoelectron , Vol. 147, No. 2, April 2000 117

spectrum for L = 30 and 50 m, respectively. For L = 30 m,
the EDF is too short, and the length-averaged metastable
population density increases to N2 = 0.774. The amplifier
is not saturated enough and the ASE spectrum decreases in
the flat transmittance range of the frequency periodic filter.
The difference in output power at 1546.9 and 1555.7 nm is
3.3 dB. For L = 50 m the EDF is too long, N2 decreases to
0.624, the amplifier is oversaturated and the ASE spectrum
is shifted to longer wavelengths. The difference in output
power at 1546.9 and 1555.7nm is -3.9dB.
The effect of total ring loss has been investigated. The
pump power and EDF length was kept constant at
P’, = lOOmW, L = 4 0 m and the aring varied. Fig. 6
shows the envelope of the output spectrum for arrng= 7, 1545 1550 1555 1560
10, and 13 dB. The output power at individual peaks h, nm
increases with decreasing a,ing;an adjustment of the EDF Fig. 7 Envelope of output power spectrum for L = 40 m, = IOdB
length or pump power would be necessary to achieve a flat and Pp‘=50, 100, and 150mW
spectral characteristic. For clring = 7 dB, N2 decreases to 0 P,+=50mW
0 P+ - 100mW
0.665, and the ripple in output power spectrum increases to + I
PE+ - 150mW
AP,,, = f0.25 dB. The corresponding values for
clring = 13 dB are N2 = 0.694, AP,,, = f0.5 dB.
An increase in the pump power has the same effect on
the output spectrum of the MF-EDFL as a decrease in aring.
In Fig. 7 the envelope of the output spectrum is plotted for
L = 4 0 m, ar,,=lOdB and P,’=50, 100, and 150mW.
The output spectrum is even flatter with AP,,, < f0.1 dB
1-
for P’, = 150 mW (N2= 0.687). However, for P,’ = 50 mW
the EDF of L = 40 m is too long (N2= 0.668) and, there-
fore, the output power increases slightly with wavelength. E
The difference in the output power at 1546.9 and BL-
O-
a , .
1555.7nm is -0.9dB.
0
Q
The effect of the pumping configuration on the output -
3 -1
power spectrum of the MF-EDFL was analysed. In addition Q
3 -
to the co-directional scheme, both the counter-directional
and the balanced bi-directional pumping schemes were -2 -
simulated. Fig. 8a shows the envelope of the output
power spectrum for L = 40 m, uring= 10 dB, a pump
I ,
power of 100 mW and the above-mentioned three pumping -3’I I. I

1545 1550 1555 1560

configurations. The highest output power was, as expected,
h, nm
achieved for the counter-directional scheme. The average a
output power was -1.8dB higher compared with the co-
directional scheme. The length-averaged metastable level
population density was N2 = 0.679, 0.685, and 0.680 for
the counter-directional, bi-directional and co-directional
schemes, respectively, which provides a better guarantee
of flatness than AP,,, 5 0.2 dB of the output power spec-
trum in the range of our frequency periodic filter. The

c
!I
U
II \. I
c -2
g*-*-*- -*- 0 10 20 30 40
I

/I
*-*A *.*A.*-
distance, m
a -4
Q b
Fig. 8 Envelope of output power spectrum and evolution of normalised
I ‘ \. metastable level population density along EDFA
a Envelope of output power spectrum
L = 4 0 m , a,,,,=lOdB and P,’=lOOmW, P;=100mW and q = P ; =
50 mW
co-directional
1545 1550 1555 1560 0 counter directional
h, nm 0 bi-directional
Fig. 6 Envelope of output power spectrum for L = 40 m, = IOOm W b Evolution of normalised metastable level population density along EDFA
L = 40 m, = 10 dB and P’, = 100mW, P i = 100mW and P’, = P; =
and = 7, 10, and 13 dB 50 mW
0 aring= I dB -co-directional
Oa,,,=lOdB --_ bi-directional
+ unng = 13 dB ..... counter directional
118 IEE Proc.-Optoelectron., Vol. 147, No. 2, April 2000

-30 t
I 1 I I I I I I I I
1540 1545 1550 1555 1560
h, nm
Fig. 9 Output power as a firnction of wavelength for L=40 m,
P,‘= 100mU: = lOdB for 32 peakfrequency periodic filter
counter-directional scheme gives the highest metastable
level population n2(z=L ) at the output end of the amplifier
and, therefore, the highest amplification of the ASE. The
evolution of the normalised metastable level population
density n2(z)/p for the three pumping configurations is
shown in Fig. 8b.
Finally, we demonstrate that the spectral range of the
experimental MF-EDFL [ l l ] is limited more by the
frequency periodic filter than by the erbium-doped fibre
itself. When we increased the number of peaks of the
periodic filter from 22 to 32, the output spectrum remained
flat with AP,,, < f0.9 dB over 22 peaks. The calculated
power spectrum for a period filter with 32 peaks is shown
in Fig. 9 for L = 40 m, P’, = 100 mW and clrLng = 10 dB.
3 Conclusion
The results of a numerical analysis of an MF-EDFL have
been presented. The analysis is based on a large-signal
space and frequency resolved homogeneously broadened
erbium-doped fibre amplifier model, which incorporates
both upstream and downstream propagating ASE. When
the ASE power was filtered by a multifrequency band-
limited periodic filter and the spectral components shifted
by one wavelength slot in each iteration cycle, the homo-
geneous broadening was efficiently suppressed and multi-
wavelength lasing achieved. To clarify the effect of
individual MF-EDFL parameters on the performance of
the multiwavelength laser, we selected in contrast to our
experimental arrangement in [I 11, a single EDFA config-
uration.
We investigated the effect of EDF length, pump power,
total ring loss and pumping configuration on the perfor-
IEE Proc.-Optoelectron., Vol. 147, No. 2,April 2000
mance of the MF-EDFL. The variation in these parameters
and the response of the MFEDFL were interpreted by the
variation in the length-averaged metastable level popula-
tion density N2. Our simulation results demonstrate that in
order to achieve a flat output power spectrum in the range
from 1542 to 1.560nm the EDF length, pump power and
the total ring loss should be selected in such a way as to
obtain N, 2 0.68. The simulations were also performed for
a pump wavelength of 1480 nm. The population inversion
required for a flat output power spectrum between 1.542
and 1.560 nm was found to be the same as for A,, = 980 nm.
I I
The pump power required to achieve the same output
power was, however, only 2 42% of that for A,, = 980 nm.
1565
4 Acknowledgments
The authors thank M. TGtu and S. LaRochelle for many
helpful discussions. This work was supported in part by a
grant from the Natural Science and Engineering Research
Council of Canada and by Quebec Telephone.
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