System and method for controlling noise in raman amplifiers

A system and method for controlling noise in a Raman amplifier including a plurality of pumps. A control system provides one or more control signals in response to an amplifier input or output signal. Pump parameters are adjusted in response to the control signals to achieve a desired noise figure characteristic.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to optical communication systems, and in particular to a system and method for controlling noise in optical amplifiers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Optical amplifiers may be utilized in optical communication networks, especially long-haul networks of lengths between 600 kilometers and 10,000 kilometers, to compensate for optical losses. Optical amplifiers amplify an input optical signal without converting it into electrical form. They include rare earth doped fibers such as erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) and Raman amplifiers.

An EDFA operates by passing an optical signal through an erbium-doped fiber segment, and “pumping” the segment with light from another source such as a laser. Raman amplification occurs throughout an optical transmission fiber when the transmission fiber is pumped at an appropriate wavelength or wavelengths. Gain is then achieved at a longer wavelength through the process of Stimulated Raman Scattering. The difference between the Raman amplifier pumped wavelength and the associated amplified wavelength spectrum at the longer wavelength is referred to as a “Stokes shift.” The Stokes shift for a typical silica fiber is approximately 13 THz. Hence, Raman amplifiers provide amplification of an optical signal without the need for a specially doped fiber, such as used in an EDFA.

Signal degradation in optical communication systems due to noise is largely unavoidable. There are various types of noise such as thermal noise, shot noise, modal noise, and mode partition noise. In optical systems utilizing optical amplifiers, each optical amplifier is also a source of noise. The noise figure F for an optical amplifier gives an indication of the degradation in a transmitted signal owing to that amplifier, and is based on a ratio of the input signal-to-noise ratio to the output-signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, an amplifier exhibiting a relatively large noise figure can negatively affect signal detection and system reliability.

In addition, some optical systems, such as WDM and DWDM systems, transmit a plurality of channels over a range of wavelengths. In such systems, any “ripples” due to an uneven noise figure can also negatively affect signal detection and system reliability. Such “ripples” may also be cumulative if successive optical amplifiers exhibit similar noise figures.

Accordingly, there is a need for an optical amplifier configuration and method that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a desired noise figure across a transmitted range of wavelengths.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An amplifier consistent with the invention includes a plurality of pumps and a control system. The pumps establish an amplifier noise figure characteristic. The control system is configured to receive a signal representative of a signal-to-noise ratio and to provide at least one control signal to at least one of the pumps in response to the signal. The control signal causes adjustment of at least one adjustable parameter of the pump to achieve a desired noise figure characteristic for the amplifier. An optical communication system consistent with the invention includes a transmitter for transmitting an optical signal on an optical information channel and an amplifier consistent with the invention coupled to the information channel.

A method of obtaining a desired noise figure characteristic for an optical amplifier including a plurality of pumps consistent with the invention includes: detecting a signal representative of a signal-to-noise ratio; generating at least one control signal in response to the signal; and adjusting at least one adjustable parameter of at least one of the pumps in response to the control signal to achieve the desired noise figure characteristic.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now toFIG. 1, there is illustrated an exemplary optical communication system100consistent with the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the system100has been depicted as a highly simplified point-to-point system for ease of explanation. Also, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated exemplary embodiments described herein. In fact, the present invention may be incorporated into a wide variety of optical networks, systems and devices without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The optical communication system100includes a transmitter102and a receiver108connected via an optical information channel or optical path106. At the transmitter, data may be modulated on a plurality of optical wavelengths for transmission over the optical information channel106. Depending on system characteristics and requirements, the optical information channel106may include an optical fiber waveguide, optical amplifiers112-1,112-2, . . .112-n, regenerators, optical filters, dispersion compensating modules, and other active and passive components. A variety of configurations for each of these elements will be known to those skilled in the art.

For clarity, only optical amplifiers112-1,112-2, . . .112-n are illustrated in FIG.1. The first optical amplifier112-1may have an associated power gain G1and noise figure F1. Similarly, the second optical amplifier may have an associated power gain G2and noise figure F2. Thus, the noise figure Fkfor the kth optical amplifier is given by equation 1 below, where (S/N)k,inis the input signal-to-noise ratio of the kth optical amplifier for a shotnoise limited input signal, and (S/N)k,outis the output signal-to-noise ratio of the kth amplifier.Fk=(S/N)k,i⁢⁢n(S/N)k,out(1)

The larger the noise figure, the larger the noise added to the signal by the amplifier. The noise figure is wavelength dependent, so that even with the same signal powers, it is possible to have different signal-to-noise ratios over a range of transmitted wavelengths.

The optical amplifiers112-1,112-2, . . .112-n may include a plurality of Raman amplifiers. The Raman amplifiers may be spaced by a number of kilometers, e.g. 50 kilometers or more, depending on system characteristics and requirements. Advantageously, the Raman amplifiers are configured, in a manner to be described in greater detail below, to provide a desired noise figure. This noise figure may ideally be substantially flat over the range of transmitted wavelengths.

Turning toFIG. 2, there is illustrated a block diagram of an exemplary Raman amplifier configuration200for providing a desired noise figure consistent with the invention. The Raman amplifier200includes a fiber transmission path segment204in which Raman gain is to be generated by coupling energy from a pump source214through a coupler206. The pump source214may include a plurality of pumps provided in a wide variety of configurations. A number of pump sources are known to those skilled in the art, including, for example, laser pump sources. A variety of couplers206for combining the pump energy and injecting the pump wavelengths into the transmission fiber204are also known, e.g. optical couplers or a pump multiplexer. A separate coupler may be provided for each pump or, as shown, a single coupler206may be provided for injecting a plurality of pumped wavelengths into the transmission fiber204. The input data modulated on a plurality of transmission wavelengths may be inserted at202.

Advantageously, a control system, which will later be more fully described, including a splitter208, a detector210, and a controller212is configured to provide control of noise for the Raman amplifier200. This is accomplished by taking advantage of the fact that the noise figure for a particular Raman amplifier is a function of the pump parameters, e.g. pump wavelength and power. In this configuration, the control system detects a signal representative of the noise figure in segments of the backward-propagating wavelength spectrum at the input of the amplifier. Based on this detected signal, the amplifier pumps are dynamically adjusted to obtain a desired noise figure. A feed-forward control path must be provided from the input of the transmission fiber204to the pumps at214.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiment200, the splitter208directs some portion of the total optical power in the backward-propagating spectrum, e.g. 2%, to the detector210. The detector detects the relative noise value in various segments of the transmitted spectrum and provides a signal representative of the effective noise figure in each spectral segment to the controller212. In a manner to be described in greater detail below, the controller212adjusts the parameters of the amplifier pumps in response to the signals from the detector in order to obtain a desired noise figure for the exemplary Raman amplifier200. Those skilled in the art will recognize that splitter208may take a variety of configurations including a 1%, 5%, or 10% splitter, a WDM coupler, or an isolator and wavelength selective refractor. In this configuration, a feed-forward path is employed and the controller may be located as indicated at212or alternatively next to the pumps at214.

The detector210may also be provided in various embodiments.FIG. 3Aillustrates one exemplary embodiment of a detector210A useful in connection with the present invention. The detector210A includes a demultiplexer301configured to receive a portion of the backward-propagating noise spectrum from the splitter208, and to divide that signal into a plurality of spectral segments at associated wavelength ranges. The wavelength ranges may be substantially equal in length. For example, the transmitted spectrum for an exemplary WDM system may include a plurality of channels in a range of C-band wavelengths from about 1520 nm to 1560 nm. In this case, the demultiplexer301may split the spectrum into four spectral segments from 1520 nm-1530 nm, 1530 nm-1540 run, 1540 nm-1550 nm, and 1550 nm -1560 nm.

Each of the spectral segments from the demultiplexer may be provided on an associated path322,324,326,328to an associated photo-detector302,304,306,308. Each photo-detector302,304,306,308is configured to provide an output signal representative of the light imparted thereon. Thus, the relative backward-propagating noise level in each of the spectral segments is represented by the outputs of the photo-detectors.

As will be described in greater detail below, the outputs of the photo-detectors are provided to the controller, which adjusts the amplifier pumps to obtain a desired noise figure for the optical amplifier200. The number of spectral segments provided by the demultiplexer for detection by the photo-detectors directly affects the ability of the control system to obtain a desired noise figure. Thus, although four photo-detectors are illustrated in the detector210A, those skilled in the art will recognize that two or more photo-detectors may be used.

FIG. 3Billustrates another exemplary embodiment210B of a detector useful in connection with the present invention. The detector210B includes a splitter303and a plurality of optical filters310,312,314,316. The splitter303receives a portion of the backward-propagating noise spectrum from the splitter208and splits the received portion onto a plurality of paths330,332,334,336, each of which is coupled to an associated filter310,312,314,316. The transmittance characteristic of each filter is configured so that each filter transmits an associated segment of the transmitted spectrum to an associated photo-detector. Again, the spectral segments transmitted by the filters should be substantially equal in length. Also, the transmittance characteristics for each filter should be narrow enough to not overlap with other filters.

For example, in a WDM or DWDM system with channels at wavelengths in the C-Band from about 1520 nm to 1560 mm, the first optical filter310may pass the segment of the wavelengths from 1520 nm-1530 nm, the second optical filter312may pass the segment from 1530 nm-1540 nm, the third optical filter314may pass the segment from 1540 nm-1550 nm, and the fourth optical filter316may pass the segment from 1550 nm-1560 mm. Again, each spectral segment is provided to an associated photo-detector309,311,313,315, each of which provides a representative of the backward-propagating noise in the segment imparted thereon. Although four filters and photo-detectors are illustrated inFIG. 3B, those skilled in the art will recognize that two or more filters and associated photo-detectors may be used.

FIG. 3Cillustrates yet another embodiment210C of a detector useful in connection with the present invention. The embodiment210C includes a known spectrum analyzer320. In this instance, the spectrum analyzer320may be utilized to detect the backward-propagating noise spectrum and provide an output signal to the controller representative of the noise figure in various segments of the transmitted spectrum. The controller modifies the amplifier pump parameters in response to the spectrum analyzer output to achieve a desired amplifier noise figure.

In one embodiment, detector210may detect and deliver to the controller212, a number M of detected signals, each being associated with a different segment of the transmitted spectrum. The number M may be greater than or equal to the total number N of pump control parameters. Pump control parameters include the adjustable variables for each Raman pump, which may include power and/or wavelength. For example, in an embodiment consistent with the invention that includes four pumps, each including two adjustable control parameters, e.g. wavelength and power, then the total number of pump parameters would be eight. The number M of detected signals may be greater than or equal to eight. The controller212includes a control algorithm to accept the M detected signals and deliver a corresponding number of control signals for initiating adjustments to one or more of the N pump parameters to achieve a desired noise figure. This algorithm may be based on empirical investigation of the noise figure exhibited by the amplifier in each spectral segment in response to variations in pump parameters.

Turning toFIG. 4, there is provided a block diagram of an exemplary Raman amplifier configuration400consistent with the invention. The configuration400includes four pumps412,414,416,418and a feed-forward control system. The basic operation ofFIG. 4is similar to that previously described in reference to FIG.2. Those skilled in the art will recognize that each of the four pumps412,414,416,418will generate an associated pump gain characteristic. Each pump may have its own pump parameters that may be controlled by feed-forward signals f1, f2, f3, f4from the controller410. Each pump may be pumped at a different associated wavelength λP1, λP2, λP3, and λP4and/or output powers. The detector408in the exemplary Raman amplifier configuration400may be a four-way splitter with four filters, as illustrated, for example, in FIG.3B.

As illustrated inFIG. 5A, the backward-propogating noise spectrum510may exhibit some “ripple” over the range of transmitted wavelengths, negatively affecting signal detection and reliability. The filters in the detector408split the transmitted spectrum, and hence the backward-propogating noise spectrum510, into associated segments. The first filter may exhibit a transmittance characteristic512to allow a first spectral segment, between λ1and λ2, of the transmitted signal to pass. Similarly, the second filter may exhibit a transmittance characteristic514to allow a second spectral segment between λ2and λ3to pass, the third filter may pass a third spectral segment between λ3and λ4, and the fourth filter may pass a fourth spectral segment between λ4and λ5. Even though four spectral segments are illustrated, those skilled in the art will recognize that the transmitted spectrum may be divided into two or more spectral segments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Generally, the more spectral segments used, the greater the ability to more finely tune the amplifier noise figure. Of course, the number of segments may be dictated by system characteristics, as well as cost considerations.

An associated photo-detector detects a signal representative of the backward-propagating noise for each spectral segment, and provides an output signal representative thereof. The output signals are coupled to the controller410, which adjusts the amplifier pump parameters in response to the detector outputs to achieve a desired noise figure as illustrated, for example, in FIG.5B. The plot520of the desired noise figure for a particular Raman amplifier may be substantially flat over the range of transmitted wavelengths.

Also, to the extent that Raman amplifiers are added to the communication system, the noise figure for succeeding Raman amplifiers may be chosen to at least partially compliment the accumulated input signal-to-noise ratio from the sun of all the preceding components. As such, the shape of the output signal-to-noise ratio may improve with each additional Raman amplifier. That is, the shape of the output signal-to-noise ratio may exhibit less “ripples” over the range of transmitted wavelengths. In addition, as the output signal-to-noise ratio reaches a substantially flat shape over the range of wavelengths to be amplified, each corresponding Raman amplifier may be controlled to produce a maximally flat noise figure.

FIG. 5Cillustrates an exemplary plot522of the output optical signal-to-noise ratio over the transmitted range of wavelengths. Advantageously, a controller consistent with this invention may continuously monitor the output signal-to-noise ratio to ensure that the noise figure for the Raman amplifier for each spectral segment remains at a desired level, e.g. a complimentary level, despite changing operating conditions.

As those skilled in the art will recognize, pump gain characteristics from each pump412,414,416,418typically tend to overlap each other. The transmittance characteristics512,514,516,518of the filters may thus overlap wavelengths encompassed by two or more of the pump gain characteristics. Advantageously, a controller410consistent with the present invention may be linked to take into account these overlapping affects. A linked control algorithm may be structured several ways. First, the control algorithm may utilize a global approach. This global approach uses detector signals, e.g. d1, d2, d3, d4, to develop a Raman amplifier model. The model computationally selects N pump parameters to give the desired noise figure and communicates this to the pumps412,414,416,418via associated control signals f1, f2, f3, f4.

Another approach is a strongly linked iterative approach. In this approach, the N pump parameters are perturbed, and then the detector produces detector signals d1, d2, d3, d4, each of which is representative of the noise figure in an associated one of the segments. A number of corrections equal to the pump parameters N is then computed and simultaneously applied. A somewhat similar approach is a weakly linked iterative approach. In this approach, the first pump parameter is perturbed and then the detector produces signals d1, d2, d3, d4. A second pump parameter correction is then calculated and applied. All detected signals are then read again, and the third pump parameter correction is then calculated and applied. Similarly, the process continues in an iterative fashion for each pump parameter until all pump parameters for all pumps are corrected and applied.

Yet another approach is a dithering approach. In this approach, each of the N pump parameters is dithered at N different frequencies. Dithering is a process known to those skilled in the art of vibrating or quivering the frequency about its initial value. The detector signals are then decompressed or filtered at the N dithered frequencies. The recovered signal at the dithered frequency is used to control the pump parameters.

The embodiments that have been described herein, however, are but some of the several which utilize this invention and are set forth here by way of illustration but not of limitation. It is obvious that many other embodiments, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, may be made without departing materially from the spirit and scope of the invention.