Measurement technique for the quotient of cross sections /spl sigma//sub e/(/spl lambda//sub s/)//spl sigma//sub a/(/spl lambda//sub s/) of erbium-doped fibers

A method for the measurement of the quotient of the emission and absorption cross section of erbium-doped fibers is presented which utilizes the spontaneous emission perpendicular to the fiber axis. The maximum population of the first excited state achievable through illumination by signal light (/spl lambda//sub s/=1530 nm) is fixed by the quotient of the absorption and the emission cross section. This fact is used to determine the desired quotient. First measurements show that this method is very simple and highly accurate.>