History of Computers - Optical Amplifiers

This page was created by Andre Gras

Optical amplifiers are built into the cables themselves and increased the amount of information the cable could carry by about 100 times.

Overview

Optical amplifiers amplify optical signals directly, without the need to convert it into an electrical signal. Stimulated emission in the amplifiers' gain medium causes the amplification of incoming light. Optical signals move data way faster because they do not take the time to convert into an electrical signal, and their gain medium is larger than the electrical amplifiers. "Almost any laser active gain medium can be pumped to produce gain for light at the wavelength of a laser made with the same material as its gain medium. Such amplifiers are commonly used to produce high power laser systems. Special types such as regenerative amplifiers and chirped-pulse amplifiers are used to amplify ultrashort pulses."

Significance

This was important because it made transmitting data way faster, which in turn made the internet faster. They are also important in optical communication, and laser physics. The transmitting of data quicker plays a large role in the speed of the Internet nowadays and provides more access to information and other communications via computers and the internet.

Links

http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3706

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_amplifier