Can SOA replace EDFAs in optical communications payloads? What are the constraints? What are the costs in terms of performances, size, weight and power budgets? Semiconductors Optical Amplifiers (SOA) are major challengers to Erbium Doped Semiconductor Amplifiers (EDFAs). Facts are appealing, small footprint, cost-effective, excellent bandwidth and switching performances. Can cold temperature bring SOAs to outperform EDFAs?
To the best of our knowledge, for the first time in the world Air Liquide and ENIB / Lab-STICC demonstrated that lowering temperature of a commercial-grade SOA has significant positive impact on noise factor and efficiency. Noise factor observed was comparable to state-of-the-art EDFA (quantitative technical results can be transmitted to ESA under cover of a Non-Disclosure Agreement).
To achieve these results, a preliminary temperature-controlled test bench was assembled. It comprises a cooler where the photonic component is connected as well as all the optical equipment to perform static performance characterization. Many other SOA parameters where observed as a function of temperature such as ASE, gain, bandwidth, saturation power, etc. Which space applications could benefit from these results? Which new applications could be envisioned?Optical communication payload include a wide variety of applications, ranging from inter-satellite communication to on-board optical processing.
As a side effect, such questions also apply to ground applications, such as optical sea-links and terrestrial fiber-optics backbone. This project contributes to answer all these questions. Containing an assessment of potential applications for SOAs at cold temperatures, it includes an experimental part for the dynamic performances of cold SOAs.
