Gain Dynamics of 14 $xx$ -nm-Pumped Thulium-Doped Fiber Amplifier

Upconversion pumping in the 14xx-nm range gives the thulium-doped fiber amplifier (TDFA) a 3-dB dynamic range of 15 dB, and transient power excursion much lower than the conventional erbium-doped fiber amplifier during dynamic wavelength add-drop, due to the energy transitions inherent to the Tm/sup 3+/ ion. For specific pumping scheme and operating conditions, gain increases with increasing signal input, a behavior significantly different from conventionally optical amplifiers. This phenomenon is studied experimentally and theoretically, and promises to provide insight for gain control algorithms for TDFAs under bursty traffic conditions in a metropolitan area network environment.