Gain calculation and propagation characteristics in erbium-doped devices with nonlinear host materials

The influence of host material nonlinearity on erbium-doped fiber and planar waveguide amplifiers is evaluated. The evaluation is based on a transmission line approach, which incorporates the presence of dopants and the nonlinear properties of the host material, providing the effective index and gain coefficient values. Numerical results for the effective index change and the corresponding added dispersion, as well as for the small signal gain, are presented considering a host material with Kerr type nonlinear properties.