WDM EDFA gain characterization with a reduced set of saturating channels

The advent of EDFA-based dense WDM places demanding optical source requirements for EDFA characterization. An iterative method is proposed here, based on a homogeneous amplifier model, to calculate the required signal conditions for WDM testing with a reduced set of saturating channels and a broad-band noise probe. EDFA gain measurements demonstrating this reduced-source technique agree to within 0.2 dB to those obtained with a four-channel WDM system operating near 1.55 μm.