In-line one-pump parametric amplifier with independent polarization gain: A field-trial demonstration

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)We present a one-pump parametric amplifier with polarization independent gain working as an in-line amplifier within an experimental field-trial optical network. The polarization independent gain is obtained by using a polarization diversity technique (PDT). Five signals modulated at 10 Gb/s were transmitted through the network, and a gain variation as low as 0.05 dB, independent of the signal polarization, was obtained. The bit-error-rate (BER) for the amplified signals was measured. For a BER of 109, a power penalty as low as 0.7 dB is shown. These measurements were compared with the identical ones obtained when the parametric amplifier with the PDT was replaced by an Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). The fiber optical parametric amplifier (FOPA) with the PDT presents a power penalty of 0.7 dB in relation to the value obtained with the EDFA. These results show that parametric amplifiers that use the PDT are able to reach a performance comparable to those obtained with the current technology of optical amplifiers based on rare earth doped fibers. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:11041107, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.2748155511041107Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP [2005/5168-2, 2008/57857-2, 574017/2008