Suppression of Intensity Noises in Forward-pumped Raman Amplifier Utilizing Depolarizer for Multiple Pump Laser Sources

We investigate the random intensity noises that occur in forward-pumped distributed Raman amplifier systems. First, we show pump-to-signal intensity noise transfer characteristics, which strongly depend on the group velocities of pump light and signal light in optical fiber used as a gain medium. When signal light is in the C-band, dispersion shifted fiber (DSF) transfers much larger noise compared with standard single mode fiber. Next, we discuss the origin of the noise induced in pump light. We define the concept of “synthesized polarization” and show that fluctuation in the state of synthesized polarization (SOSP) can induce a large gain instability even if the relative intensity noise (RIN) of each pump laser source is negligible experimentally. Next, we propose a novel optical depolarizer for pump light. It can simultaneously depolarize pump light generated by multiple laser sources. Moreover, it can manage optical phases precisely to suppress the gain instability induced by the fluctuation in SOSP. Finally, we present a measurement of the Q factor of a 16-QAM signal (32 Gbaud) after 35-km transmission, with and without a forward-pumped Raman amplifier. Two pump laser sources with RINs of –134 to –126 dB/Hz were depolarized by the proposed depolarizer, and the generated on-off gain was 7 dB. Though amplified signal light was in the C-band and the gain medium was DSF, 16-QAM transmission specifications were successfully improved, and acceptable noise was observed for 5 hours operation.