Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOA) SOA半导体放大器

Semiconductor optical amplifiers (booster optical amplifiers) are amplifiers which use a semiconductor to provide the gain medium. They have a similar structure to Fabry–Perot laser diodes but with anti-reflection design elements at the end faces. Recent designs include anti-reflective coatings as well as tilted waveguide and window regions which can reduce end face reflection to less than 0.001%. Since this creates a loss of power from the cavity which is greater than the gain, it prevents the amplifier from acting as a laser.

High-performance semiconductor optical amplifiers are especially useful when it comes to amplifying (optical) signals that are meant to be transmitted over long distances, where there is a significant threat of signal loss. Since the optical signal is directly amplified, a previous conversion into an electrical signal becomes redundant, increasing the efficiency of the transmission. The technology is commonly used in WDM networks for power splitting and loss compensation.

Semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA) deliver a simple and cost-efficient solution for long-haul transmission in various networks. Innolume is your partner for the supply and supports your business with individual solutions and personal advice – get in touch with us!