Optical time domain reflectometry in optical transmission lines containing in-line Er-doped fiber amplifiers

Optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) in an optical transmission line containing in-line Er-doped fiber amplifiers is investigated. The proposed Er-doped fiber amplifiers are based on optical circulators, which support both OTDR and digital signal transmission. The measurable limit of OTDR fault location in optical transmission lines containing in-line amplifiers is discussed. Fault location and 1.8-Gb/s digital signal transmission are demonstrated in a 316.9 km, optical transmission line constructed with three in-line Er-doped fiber amplifiers.>