• Polarization Maintaining: Amplifies Only One Polarization State
• SM Fiber Pigtails (1.5 m), 2.5 dB Coupling Loss at Each Chip End
• FC/APC Connectors
• High Saturation Power (+16 dBm), High Efficiency
• AR Coated Endfaces (R < 0.1%)
• Typical Applications: Boosting Laser Transmitters, Compensating for Transmit MUX/DeMUX Insertion Loss, Optical Shutter

This Booster Optical Amplifier (BOAs) is a single-pass, traveling-wave amplifier that performs well with both monochromatic and multi-wavelength signals. Since BOAs only amplify one state of polarization, they are best suited for applications where the input polarization of the light is known. For applications where the input polarization is unknown or fluctuates, a Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) is required. However, the gain, noise, bandwidth, and saturation power specifications of a BOA are superior to that of a SOA because of the design features that make the SOA polarization insensitive.

The BOA consists of a highly-efficient InP/InGaAsP Multiple Quantum Well (MQW) layer structure. As seen in the schematic to the right, the input and output of the amplifier is coupled to the reliable ridge waveguide on the optical amplifier chip. Losses typically range from 1.5 to 2.5 dB for the fiber-to-chip and chip-to-fiber coupling (each). These coupling losses affect the total gain, noise figure (NF), and saturation power (Psat). While the gain produced by the amplifier exceeds that of the losses, these losses remain an important factor in determining the device's performance. For instance a 1 dB drop in input coupling efficiency increases the noise figure by 1 dB. Alternatively, a 1 dB drop in output coupling decreases the saturation power by 1 dB.

• Operating Current:
• Typ.: 600 mA
• Max: 750 mA
• Center Wavelength:
• Min: 1290 nm
• Typ: 1310 nm
• Max: 1330 nm
• Optical 3 dB Bandwidth:
• Min: 60 nm
• Typ: 70 nm
• Saturation Output Power (@ -3 dB):
• Min: 13 dBm
• Typ: 15 dBm
• Small Signal Gain (@ Pin=-20 dBm, λ=1312 nm):
• Min: 17 dB
• Typ: 23 dB
• Gain Ripple (RMS) @ IOP:
• Typ.: 0.1 dB
• Max: 0.25 dB
• Typical Polarization Extinction Ratio: 16 dB
• Noise Figure:
• Typ: 7.0
• Max: 9.0
• Forward Voltage:
• Typ: 1.4 V
• Max: 1.6 V
• Chip Length: 1.5 mm
• Waveguide Refractive Index: 3.2