Patent ID: 6603593
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: G02B,H01S,H04B,H04J

Abstract:
An optical transmission system for transmitting an optical signal, said system comprising:an optical transmission fiber for transmitting the signal; and a Raman amplifier coupled to the fiber and amplifying the signal propagating therethrough, said Raman amplifier including an optical pump source for introducing depolarized pump light into the fiber, said pump source including at least one optical source generating a polarized optical pump signal, an optical splitter that splits the optical pump signal from the optical source into a first pump portion and a second pump portion, a delay device that delays the first pump portion relative to the second pump portion, and a beam combiner that receives the delayed first pump portion and the second pump portion and combines the pump portions to form the pump light, wherein the pump light includes optical energy in at least two orthogonal polarization states so that the pump light is depolarized.