Optical amplifiers boost the signal strength of the pulses of light as they travel down the
Optical Fiber.
Even though optical fiber is incredibly low loss (around 0.2 dB/km), loss effects are cumulative, so become noticable after pulses have traveled tens or hundreds of kilometers. An amplifier placed in the middle of the link can restore the signal strength to its former level. This is called "in-line amplification". In DWDM systems, in-line amplifiers must be able to boost the strength of all the channels.
Optical signals can also get a boost just after they have left the laser, which is known as “power amplification.” A final boost may be required as the optical signals reach the detectors: Such amplification at the end of the system is called “pre-amplification.”
There are several different types of optical amplifier:
EDFAs
- Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
- Avanex Corp.
- Bayspec Inc.
- Bookham Technologies plc.
- Dowslake Microsystems Corp.
- Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
- Highwave Optical Technologies
- IPG Photonics
- JDS Uniphase
- NEC Electronics Corp.
- Northlight Optronics AB
- Onetta Inc.
- Photon Technology Co. Ltd.
- Red-C Optical Networking Ltd.
- Triquint
EDWAs
- InPlane Photonics Inc.
- NKT Integration AS (merger of Ionas and Cilias)
- Symmorphix Inc.
- Teem Photonics
SOAs
- Finisar Corp. (acquired Genoa)
- JDS Uniphase Inc.
- Kamelian Ltd.
Raman
- Accelink Technologies Co. Ltd.
- Avanex Corp.
- Bookham Technology plc
- Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.
- JDS Uniphase Inc.
- IPG Photonics
- Red-C Optical Networking Ltd.
- Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
- WaveSplitter Technologies Inc.
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