Performing broadband optical transmission links by appropriate spectral combination of broadband SOA gain, Raman amplification and transmission fiber losses

We present the principle of a broadband optical transmission link based on the appropriate combination of the spectral profiles of broadband SOA gain, Raman amplification and transmission fiber losses. We show that, thanks to this principle, a bandwidth as wide as 89 nm (defined at −1 dB) over 75.5 km can be obtained. This bandwidth remains better than 80 nm over a wide range of optical input powers and broadband SOA bias currents, by optimizing the Raman pump. We also show theoretically that the bandwidth of our link is nearly constant for a fiber length from 25 to 100 km optimizing the SOA current. Our broadband transmission link, extended by 24.5 km of fiber, is then validated by achieving the transmission of five CWDM channels modulated at 10 Gbit/s. All five channels were transmitted over 100 km with a minimum received power sensibility of about −15.5 dBm for a reference BER of 10−3.