This part of IEC 61290 applies to optical fibre amplifiers (OFAs) using active fibres, containing rare-earth dopants, currently commercially available. It establishes uniform requirements for accurate and reliable measurements of the signal-spontaneous noise figure as defined in 3.1.18 of IEC 61291-1.
The test method independently detects amplified signal power and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) power by launching optical pulses into the OFA under test and synchronously detecting "on" and "off" levels of the output pulses by using an optical sampling switch and an optical spectrum analyzer (OSA).
Such a measurement is possible because the gain response of the rare-earth doped OFA is relatively slow, particularly in Er-doped OFAs. However, since the OFA gain dynamics vary with amplifier types, operating conditions and control scheme, the amplifier type should be considered when applying the present test method.
The test method is described basically for multichannel applications, which includes single channel applications as a special case of multichannel (wavelength-division multiplexed) applications.
NOTE All numerical values followed by ( ) are intended to be currently under study.
BS EN 61290-10-1:2003 history
2009BS EN 61290-10-1:2009 Optical amplifiers - Test methods - Part 10-1:Multichannel parameters - Pulse method using an optical switch and optical spectrum analyzer
2003BS EN 61290-10-1:2003 Optical amplifiers - Test methods - Multichannel parameters - Pulse method using an optical switch and optical spectrum analyzer