Design considerations for minimizing macrobending loss in erbium-doped fiber amplifiers

Step-index fiber designs which minimize macrobending loss in erbium-doped fiber amplifiers pumped at 980 and 1490 nm are discussed. An important consideration for the compact packaging of these amplifiers for field use is the minimum tolerable bend radius of the doped fiber for small extrinsic macrobending loss. Only small shifts in the peak value of the mode field of the fiber due to bending, such that the gain of the amplifier is essentially unaffected, are considered.<
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