scope:

This part of IEC 61290 applies to output power controlled optically amplified, elementary sub-systems. It applies to optical fibre amplifiers (OFAs) using active fibres containing rare-earth dopants, presently commercially available, as indicated in IEC 61291-1, as well as alternative optical amplifiers that can be used for single channel output power controlled operation, such as semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs).

The object of this document is to provide the general background for optical amplifiers (OAs) power transients and their measurements and to indicate those IEC standard test methods for accurate and reliable measurements of the following transient parameters:

a) transient power response;

b) transient power overcompensation response;

c) steady-state power offset;

d) transient power response time.

The stimulus and responses behaviours under consideration include the following:

1) channel power increase (step transient);

2) channel power reduction (inverse step transient);

3) channel power increase/reduction (pulse transient);

4) channel power reduction/increase (inverse pulse transient);

5) channel power increase/reduction/increase (lightning bolt transient);

6) channel power reduction/increase/reduction (inverse lightning bolt transient).

These parameters have been included to provide a complete description of the transient behaviour of an output power transient controlled OA. The test definitions defined here are applicable if the amplifier is an OFA or an alternative OA. However, the description in Annex A concentrates on the physical performance of an OFA and provides a detailed description of the behaviour of an OFA; it does not give a similar description of other OA types. Annex B provides a detailed description background of the dynamic phenomenon in output power controlled amplifiers under transient conditions and Annex C details the impact of speed of transient inputs.