Mediaspace scheduled maintenance: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 - 12:00 AM. During this time, videos will be temporarily unavailable. Check status updates.

Lecture

Light Amplification: Concepts and Applications

In course

EE-440: Photonic systems and technology

The physics of optical communication components and their applications to communication systems will be covered. The course is intended to present the operation principles of contemporary optical communication systems employing optical fibers and modern op ...

Description

This lecture introduces the fundamental concepts of light amplification, covering topics such as amplifier properties, ideal and real amplifier characteristics, benefits of optical amplifiers, different amplifier types, and amplifier gain mechanisms. The instructor explains the requirements and applications of optical amplifiers, including in-line amplifiers, booster amplifiers, and pre-amplifiers. The lecture also delves into the working principles of doped fiber amplifiers, Raman & Brillouin amplifiers, parametric amplifiers, and semiconductor optical amplifiers. Additionally, it discusses the concepts of lumped and distributed amplification, amplifier gain, gain coefficient, and amplifier gain bandwidth.

This video is available exclusively on Mediaspace for a restricted audience. Please log in to MediaSpace to access it if you have the necessary permissions.

Watch on Mediaspace

Instructor

Camille Sophie Brès

Prof. Camille-Sophie Brès is an Associate Professor in the Institute of Electrical Engineering within the School of Engineering of EPFL. Her primary research interests are centered optical communications and on parametric and nonlinear processes in optical fiber and non-silica platforms for ultrafast signal processing, all optical networks, sensing and light sources. She has authored over thirty peer-reviewed journal articles and has presented more than 15 papers at international conferences. She received the Gordon Wu Fellowship for her graduate studies, the NSF CIANs Diversity Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2009, the Early Career Woman in Engineering Award in 2016. She is a senior member of the IEEE and OSA. 2019 - present: Associate Professor in the Institute of Electrical Engineering, EPFL 2011 - 2018: Assistant Professor in the Institute of Electrical Engineering, EPFL 2010 - 2011: Assistant Project Scientist, University of California San Diego (UCSD) 2007 - 2010: Postdoc in ECE, University of California San Diego (UCSD) 2002 - 2007: Ph.D in Electrical Engineering, Princeton University 1998 - 2002: B.Eng with Honours in Electrical Engineering, McGill University

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Physics

Electromagnetism: Electrical networks

Related concepts (27)

Amplifier

An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It is a two-port electronic circuit that uses electric power from a power supply to increase the amplitude (magnitude of the voltage or current) of a signal applied to its input terminals, producing a proportionally greater amplitude signal at its output. The amount of amplification provided by an amplifier is measured by its gain: the ratio of output voltage, current, or power to input.

Optical amplifier

An optical amplifier is a device that amplifies an optical signal directly, without the need to first convert it to an electrical signal. An optical amplifier may be thought of as a laser without an optical cavity, or one in which feedback from the cavity is suppressed. Optical amplifiers are important in optical communication and laser physics. They are used as optical repeaters in the long distance fiberoptic cables which carry much of the world's telecommunication links.

Operational amplifier

An operational amplifier (often op amp or opamp) is a DC-coupled high-gain electronic voltage amplifier with a differential input and, usually, a single-ended output. In this configuration, an op amp produces an output potential (relative to circuit ground) that is typically 100,000 times larger than the potential difference between its input terminals. The operational amplifier traces its origin and name to analog computers, where they were used to perform mathematical operations in linear, non-linear, and frequency-dependent circuits.

Valve amplifier

A valve amplifier or tube amplifier is a type of electronic amplifier that uses vacuum tubes to increase the amplitude or power of a signal. Low to medium power valve amplifiers for frequencies below the microwaves were largely replaced by solid state amplifiers in the 1960s and 1970s. Valve amplifiers can be used for applications such as guitar amplifiers, satellite transponders such as DirecTV and GPS, high quality stereo amplifiers, military applications (such as radar) and very high power radio and UHF television transmitters.

Negative-feedback amplifier

A negative-feedback amplifier (or feedback amplifier) is an electronic amplifier that subtracts a fraction of its output from its input, so that negative feedback opposes the original signal. The applied negative feedback can improve its performance (gain stability, linearity, frequency response, step response) and reduces sensitivity to parameter variations due to manufacturing or environment. Because of these advantages, many amplifiers and control systems use negative feedback.

Related lectures (33)

Difference Frequency Generation: Energy Conservation and Amplification

Explores difference frequency generation, energy conservation, and signal amplification in optics.

Imperfections of Operational Amplifiers: Imperfections MOOC: Electronics I

Explores the imperfections of operational amplifiers and their impact on performance.

Cascode and Follower Amplifiers: Transistor Basics MOOC: Electronics II

Covers the principles of cascode amplifiers, push-pull amplifiers, and amplifier design.

Measuring Systems and Op-Amps: Applications in ECG and PPG

Explores voltage amplifiers, op-amp characteristics, and applications in ECG and PPG.

Feedback and Stability Log in to Mediaspace to watch this video