SPA Single-Pulse Fiber Amplifier

SPA Single-Pulse Fiber Amplifier


Low-noise amplification of pulses operating outside the CW regime


SPA series fiber amplifiers are designed to provide low-noise amplification of signals not operating in the continuous-wave regime, such as a single optical pulse. In contrast to conventional continuous-wave or average-power amplifiers that reply on saturation conditions, the SPA series uses specialized design to provide low-noise amplification. Correspondingly, the noise properties of the SPA fiber amplifiers are inherently stable regardless of input pulse energy, pulse duration, or pulse format.

Ultra-low noise floor

– Measured (absolute) power in 0.1-nm bandwidth (1064-nm model)


SPA series fiber amplifiers comes in a convenient turn-key package, with FC/APC receptacles for connecting to your optical system. The optical gain is stabilized internal to the package such that no external user controls are required. Layers of built-in filtration and isolation result in a stabilized gain block that can be inserted into almost any optical system to produce clean, amplified pulses.

Technical specifications

The optical specifications of SPA series fiber amplifiers are given below:
  • Operating wavelength range: 1 um or 1.5 um wavelength bands
  • Operating bandwidth: ±1 nm
  • Small signal gain: 10-40 dB
  • ASE noise floor ≤ 1μW in a 0.1-nm bandwidth (20 dB gain)
  • Polarization extinction ratio ≥ 18dB (for PM versions)
Optical features, packaging, and user features of the SPA series make the unit robust and simple to use. Such features include:
  • Input and output optical isolation
  • Optical noise floor independent of pulse energy, duration, or format
  • Stability against seed loss (no self-pulsations or optical damage)
  • Suppression of out-of-band amplifier spontaneous emission (ASE)
  • FC/APC receptacles at input and output
  • Packaging designed to minimize sensitivity to vibration and heating
  • 19” rack-mount, wall-plug unit
  • Turn-key operation