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Optics Express

Detailed characterization of a fiber-optic parametric amplifier in phase-sensitive and phase-insensitive operation

Joseph Kakande, Carl Lundström, Peter A. Andrekson, Zhi Tong, Magnus Karlsson, Periklis Petropoulos, Francesca R. Parmigiani, David John Richardson

Published Feb 17, 2010• 70 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate a single-pumped, non-degenerate phase-sensitive parametric amplifier with a precise control of phase and amplitude of the in-going waves and investigate in detail its gain, attenuation and saturation properties in comparison with operation in phase insensitive amplifier (PIA) mode. We experimentally observe the variation of the gain and attenuation as a function of the relative phase, pump power and the signal-idler power ratio. The phase sensitive gain spectrum is studied over a 24 nm symmetrical bandwidth and we achieve a maximum phase sensitive amplification (PSA) gain of 33 dB. A departure from the theoretical maximum attenuation as the gain increases is observed and explained.

DOI
10.1364/oe.18.004130

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We experimentally demonstrate a single-pumped, non-degenerate phase-sensitive parametric amplifier with a precise control of phase and amplitude of the in-going waves and investigate in detail its gain, attenuation and saturation properties in comparison with operation in phase insensitive amplifier (PIA) mode. We experimentally observe the variation of the gain and attenuation as a function of the relative phase, pump power and the signal-idler power ratio. The phase sensitive gain spectrum is studied over a 24 nm symmetrical bandwidth and we achieve a maximum phase sensitive amplification (PSA) gain of 33 dB. A departure from the theoretical maximum attenuation as the gain increases is observed and explained.
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In optical communication systems, Phase Sensitive Amplifier (PSA) is well known for its superior noise performance in the sub-quantum limit. Therefore, PSAs are highly suitable for long haul transmission systems where amplification and regeneration is critical. In this paper, we analyze the gain performance of a single pump non-degenerate PSA operating in the quadratic gain regime. The variation of gain characteristics with pump power and fiber length has been discussed. It could be seen that for a 5km long fiber, increasing of pump power above 4W subjected to the increasing of amplifier gain while maintaining the relative phase at a stable constant value of 0.001 rad. Therefore, by fine tuning parameters like fiber nonlinearity, pump power and fiber length, a phase stabilized gain performance of the PSA could be achieved when it is operating in the quadratic gain regime.
We investigate the possibility of obtaining phase-sensitive amplification (PSA) in a fiber-optic parametric amplifier (OPA), with gain independent of the state of polarization of the input signal, i.e., polarization-independent amplification. We consider both a single OPA with two orthogonal pumps and a polarization-diversity scheme. In either case, PSA with maximum gain is possible, provided that the signal and idler are in suitably matched polarization states; this condition is naturally satisfied by the output fields of an upstream polarization-insensitive amplifier of the same type. Two polarization-multiplexed signals can then be simultaneously amplified in the PSA. The low noise figure can also be obtained with these types of PSA. However, in general, this favorable situation is not maintained if the signal and idler states of polarization drift together due to birefringence fluctuations in a transmission fiber preceding the PSA.
Dual-pump fiber optical parametric amplifiers offer wide, flat gain spectra across arbitrary wavelengths, often outperforming the use of single-pump designs. However, gain flatness depends on the pump frequencies’ center of gravity relative to the nonlinear fiber’s zero-dispersion wavelength. This study experimentally investigated the gain, gain flatness, and noise figure of degenerate dual-pump fiber-optic phase-sensitive amplification at various separations between these points. We demonstrated 38 dB gain with 1.5 dB gain flatness variation over a 30 nm bandwidth as well as a noise figure below the conventional 3 dB quantum limit for a degenerate signal.
Flat and wide-bandwidth gain spectrum, along with phase-sensitive gain with no need to generate amplifier input idlers, can be achieved with a coupled dual-core fiber optical parametric amplifier. In this paper, we analyze the noise properties of such an amplifier. We achieve a 3 dB noise figure in the phase-insensitive case and a minimum of -6 dB noise figure in the phase-sensitive configuration. An alternative phase-sensitive configuration is also studied, that avoids the use of idlers at the input of the amplifier, leading to a 3 dB flat spectrum combined noise figure for the output signals. Pump transfer noise in phase-insensitive and phase-sensitive configurations is also studied along with the noise figure variation against the length of the amplifier.