Gain cross saturation and spectral hole burning in wideband erbium-doped fiber amplifiers

Cross-saturation characteristics are investigated in broadband 1.48-microm pumped and 980-nm pumped gainshaped erbium-doped fiber amplifiers. Gain shaping is shown to give a more uniform spectral gain compression on saturation. In addition, a degree of room-temperature spectral gain hole burning is observed for what is to our knowledge the first time.