THE GOLDEN-AGE OF OPTICAL-FIBER AMPLIFIERS

After nearly two decades of research in fiberoptics technology, what could possibly remain to be discovered? Clearly, the design of optical fibers cannot be improved forever. With current technology, fibers can transmit infrared (1.5micron wavelength) light pulses in a single electromagnetic mode with a minimal power loss of 5% per kilometer and without dispersion; such performance is forever fixed by Maxwell's equations and the physics of silica glass waveguides. Yet the field of fiber optics still reserves some surprises. Indeed, the past few years have seen stunning developments in reaction to advances in rareearthdoped fiber amplifiers and nonlinear (or soliton) pulse propagation in fibers. © 1994, American Institute of Physics. All rights reserved.Light amplification in erbiumdoped glass fibers allows intercontinental communication at 10 billion bits per second and opens new possibilities for transmitting data via optical solitons. © 1994, American Institute of Physics. All rights reserved.