OPTICAL-FIBER AMPLIFIERS - PHYSICAL MODEL AND DESIGN ISSUES

The development of optical fiber amplifiers has caused an impressive e volution in optical telecommunications systems since the end of the 19 80s. The widespread application of active fibre amplifiers requires ac curate tools to design and simulate these devices in very different op erating conditions. The present work describes some physical aspects o f active fibre amplifiers and a numerical model for the analysis of ac tive optical fibres that can be applied to investigate spatial and spe ctral properties of amplifiers for the transmission windows of optical fibre telecommunications. Finally, various design issues relevant to the investigation of optimal fibre design of silica, fluoride erbium-d oped and fluoride praseodymium-doped fibres are discussed and illustra ted by means of examples.