August 12, 2002--StockerYale Inc., an independent supplier of photonics-based products, announced the availability of its EDF-1480-T6 erbium-doped fiber, which is specifically designed to optimize the performance of L-band erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs).
The high erbium peak absorption levels of this fiber also assist in reducing and controlling design costs in the development of EDFAs by reducing the amount of fiber required within the optical amplifier. The company expects to begin shipping samples of these high-performance fibers to customers in August.
An EDFA is a device that amplifies light signals through optical networks and is a critical component of telecommunication and data system designs. EDFAs were first installed in C- or Conventional band networks operating in the 1530 to 1565 nm range. As the C-band becomes fully deployed, it will become necessary for network carriers to send signal traffic through the L- or Long band (1570 to 1610 nm) to meet growing capacity demands.
Moreover, some of the networks deployed today are better suited for L-band applications. As with the C-band, the L-band will require its own dedicated EDFAs with performance characteristics designed for L-band specific signals.
Erbium-doped fiber assists in the regeneration of an optical signal when it passes through an EDFA. And, when configured within long-haul terrestrial or submarine telecommunications systems, EDFAs enable an optical signal to be sent greater distances with increased reliability.
StockerYale's EDF-1480-T6 erbium-doped fiber is designed for L-Band erbium-doped fiber amplifiers that operate out to 1610 nm. Its core composition has been optimized to maintain high erbium levels while minimizing up-conversion clustering effects. This fiber has also been engineered to minimize non-linear effects such as four-wave mixing (FWM). The company affirms that its fibers can be custom designed to meet specific OEM requirements.
For more information about StockerYale Inc. (Salem, NH) visit the company's website at www.stockeryale.com.