Raman laser module is recipient of Laser
Focus World CTA Award
The new Raman pump laser
module from SDL Inc. (San
Jose, CA), the SDL-RL30-1455,
was chosen as the winner of
the Laser Focus World 2000
Commercial Technology
Achievement Award in the
fiber-optic/optoelectronic
components category. This new product was designed for
use in advanced fiber-optic systems that utilize distributed
Raman amplification together with dense
wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM).
The award will be presented during the Photonics West
conference in San Jose, CA, on January 26, 2000. The
awards recognize significant and long-lasting achievement
in eight areas of commercial optoelectronics, including
lasers, fiber-optic and optoelectronic components, and
optics and optical materials. Only new products introduced
between October 1998 and September 1999 were eligible
for the 2000 awards.
Conard Holton, executive editor at Laser Focus World,
explains that winners are chosen by the magazine's Editorial
Advisory Board. "[Board members] are well established
experts in various fields such as lasers, fiberoptics, etc.,"
he says. Nomination forms are submitted, and the board
members independently rank their top five choices in each
category. "Some abstain from voting if they do not feel
qualified to judge, but the others judge the product on its
technical innovation and contribution to the commercial
market," says Holton. "I think it provides a fair and accurate
judgement of which commercial products are important
every year." The magazine staff compiles the votes but has
no other input in the selection process.
According to SDL, distributed Raman amplification uses
installed transmission fiber as the amplification medium,
rather than erbium-doped fiber. The critical technology for
distributed Raman amplification is the availability of a
high-power pump-laser source. Discrete pump-laser
modules today are only capable of supplying coupled power
up to 500 mW. However, this output is insufficient for the
needs of long-range repeaterless applications. For technical
and economic feasibility, a source with output power
greater than 1 W is required. The SDL-RL30-1455 delivers
1.5 W at the necessary wavelengths.
Raman amplification occurs in the 1550-nm wavelength
band when the transmission fiber is pumped with high power
at approximately 1455 nm. By using the high-powered pump
source, the transmission fiber itself will provide
amplification. This allows amplification throughout the
fiber-optic network, which leads to substantial increases in
the amount of information carried by each fiber.
The RL30-1455 is currently being installed to provide optical
amplification in undersea fiber-optic systems. The
RL30-1455, which is located on-shore, extends the
transmission distance in these systems. Future applications
could include deployment in very high bit rate (40-Gbit/sec)
DWDM systems. In addition, Raman amplification offers the
potential of increased system data capacity by allowing
amplification between 1300 and 1650 nm, thereby
supporting a greater number of wavelength channels. Eight
companies in the terrestrial telecommunications market are
believed to be actively evaluating the new product, says
SDL.
For more information on the Laser Focus World and the
Commercial Technology Achievement Awards, visit
www.laser-focus.com.
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