Various Optical Amplifiers (EDFA, FRA, and SOA) - Anritsu Asia Pacific

12/21/23, 10:48 AM Various Optical Amplifiers (EDFA, FRA, and SOA) | Anritsu Asia Pacific
Optical Device Guide
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Various Optical Amplifiers (EDFA, Optical Communication
FRA, and SOA)
What Is an Optical Amplifier?

The transmission loss of the light passing through optical fiber is
the very small value of less than 0.2 dB per km with a light
wavelength in the 1,550 nm band. However, when the length of the
optical fiber is a distance as long as 10 km or 100 km, that
transmission loss cannot be ignored. When the light (signal)
propagating a long-distance optical fiber becomes extremely weak,
it is necessary to amplify the light using an optical amplifier.
An optical amplifier amplifies light as it is without converting the

optical signal to an electrical signal, and is an extremely important
device that supports the long-distance optical communication
networks of today. The major types of optical amplifiers include an
EDFA, FRA, and SOA.
Difference between an OFA and SOA

There are 2 types of optical amplifiers; an OFA (Optical Fiber
Amplifier) and SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier). There are 2
further types of OFAs; an EDFA (Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier) and
an FRA (Fiber Raman Amplifier).
Optical OFA (Optical Fiber EDFA (Erbium Doped

amplifiers Amplifier) Fiber Amplifier)
https://www.anritsu.com/en-au/sensing-devices/guide/optical-amplifier#maincontent 1/4
FRA (Fiber Raman

Amplifier)
SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier)
EDFA (Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier)

As mentioned above, an EDFA is 1 type of OFA and is an optical
amplifier with erbium ions added to the core of the optical fiber. It
features high gain and low noise, is polarization independent, and
can amplify optical signals in the 1.55 μm band or 1.58 μm band.
It was previously necessary to use an optical repeater to temporarily

convert attenuated light into an electrical signal, electrically amplify
and regenerate the waveform, then convert back to light and
resend. In the 1990s, the debut of EDFAs enabled signals to be
amplified as light.
Example EDFA Configuration
Irradiating a coupling module with light at 1.48 µm enables the

light to be internally stored as energy, and light in the 1.55 µm
band causes optical amplification when it propagates, and obtains a
gain of 20 to 30 dB.
FRA (Fiber Raman Amplifier)

An FRA is a type of OFA. It causes stimulated emission based on
SRS when strong excitation light enters the optical fiber. The light is
then amplified in a wavelength range about 100 nm longer than the

excitation light wavelength. It has a wide amplification wavelength
region, and can be freely set by the wavelength of the excitation
light.
SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier)

As suggested by the name, an SOA is a semiconductor element. By
performing antireflective processing on the cleavage plane of a
semiconductor laser and eliminating the resonator structure, light
can enter from outside the semiconductor and amplify light via
stimulated emission.
An SOA can be made in a compact size and its lower running costs
compared to an EDFA mean it more economically efficient. Up until
recent years, the input light of an SOA was highly polarization
dependent, but research into low polarization dependency has
proceeded in recent years. Furthermore, EDFAs are being replaced
by SOAs at data centers, and their use is expected to expand in
future optical communication.
Anritsu SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers) >
Example SOA Applications
The SOA is used for embedding in 100G CFP/CFP2 ER4. Light

sources for optical communication in the 1.3 μm band is used for
40 km transmission among data centers, and between mobile
phone base stations and data centers. However, SOAs are required
as pre-amplifiers to counter attenuation in the communication light
when performing long-distance transmission. SOAs are embedded
in 100 G CFP/CFP2 ER4 transceivers, and are now playing an
important role in the market.
Anritsu SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers) >
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12/21/23, 10:48 AM Various Optical Amplifiers (EDFA, FRA, and SOA) | Anritsu Asia Pacific

Optical Device Guide

FRA, and SOA)

What Is an Optical Amplifier?

An optical amplifier amplifies light as it is without converting the

Difference between an OFA and SOA

Optical OFA (Optical Fiber EDFA (Erbium Doped

FRA (Fiber Raman

EDFA (Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier)

It was previously necessary to use an optical repeater to temporarily

Example EDFA Configuration

Irradiating a coupling module with light at 1.48 µm enables the

FRA (Fiber Raman Amplifier)

then amplified in a wavelength range about 100 nm longer than the

SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier)

Anritsu SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers) >

Example SOA Applications

The SOA is used for embedding in 100G CFP/CFP2 ER4. Light

Anritsu SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers) >

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