Master of Science in Aeronautical and Space Systems

Major on S2: Avionics

Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier study for

nanosatellite integration
Amenosis José Ramón López Arreguín*, Angelique Rissons
Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace (ISAE), 10 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31000 Toulouse, France
amenosis.lopez-arreguin@isae.fr*

The goal is to derive a theoretical and experimental characterization of the impact of

radiation over the critical parameters of EDFA such as output power, noise figure (NF)
and peak wavelength for the future integration in the NIMPH mission.
I. INTRODUCTION

Program NIMPH (Nanosatellite to Investigate Microwave Photonic Hardware) is one of the

missions supported by CNES, through ESA programs with the purpose to understand the impact of the
space radiation on a definite set of microwave photonic components1.
The first motivation of the mission is to have a better or a more precise knowledge of the behavior
of optical components on space environment, since will allow a first feedback on the behavior of them in
space conditions1.
Optical communication is the use of light as a signal to send information2. Nowadays, the optical
fibers serve as foundation of optical communication systems because the optical fiber is used as a medium
to transport the optical signals from source to destination3. The optical fibers attenuate the signal during
transmission, and is necessary to use optical amplifiers (OAs) such as Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers
(EDFA), which allow us to amplify an optical signal.
Between the elements used to make Fiber Amplifiers, the most interesting is Erbium, because EDFA
made by doping the silica fiber with erbium ions, can operate in a broad range within the 1550 nm window
at which the attenuation of silica fiber is minimum, therefore is ideal for the optical fiber communication
systems operating at this wavelength range4.
Even when the attenuation of a signal propagating through optical fiber is low compared through
other transmission media, such as free space3, over the last two decades, free-space optical communication
(FSO) have been developed in response to a growing need for high-speed and tap-proof communication
systems5, due to the advantage of no-need of physical connection or waveguide.
The next generation of telecommunication satellites, will implement FSO links between ground and
Earth as well as between satellite-satellite, as well as between many other applications in both military and
civilian contexts4. Probably the most fundamental step to build this communication link is to understand
the behavior of OA in applied systems such as space missions.
As reviewed by Ma et al.6 , EDFA is the key component for the external modulation technique in
inter-satellite communication, which can meet the need in few years of the growth of data rate of
transmission, being a very important issue for inter-satellite optical communication.
Nowadays many Labs around the world as NASA, DLR and ESA are developing research devoted
to explore the impact of radiation over EDFA for future implementation on telecommunication missions.
The nanosatellite will flight over the ROBUSTA orbit. Radiation calculations performed on
components in Nanosat NIMPH satellite shown that the most severe environment, in terms of deposit doses
of radiation, corresponds to ROBUSTA mission1.

EDFA study for nanosatellite integration: Amenosis López Arreguín 1

 The aim of this work then is to shine a light on how the main EDFA properties important for
telecommunication (output power, noise figure, and peak wavelength) will vary under the hardest
conditions set in space before to be integrated into the NIMPH in order to qualify it and predict its behavior
in the mission.

DECLARATION BY STUDENT
This assignment is entirely my own work. Quotations from literature are properly indicated with
appropriated references in the text. All literature used in this piece of work is indicated in the
bibliography placed at the end. I confirm that no sources have been used other than those stated.
I understand that plagiarism (copy without mentioning the reference) is a serious examinations offence
that may result in disciplinary action being taken.

II. BRIEFS IN THE STATE OF ART OF THE SUBJECT

A. About FSO on Earth and Space

Free-space optical communication (FSO) stands for the optical communication in free air in space and
inside the atmosphere5. FSO as telecommunication link is something achieved between buildings and
nowadays used for commercial networking in local and metropolitan areas9.
The advantage of FSO result from the basic characteristics of a laser beam, especially from its high
frequency, coherency and low divergence, which lead to efficient delivery of power to a receiver and a high
information-carrying capacity5. Laser beam provide additional advantages to FSO links, such as high spatial
selectivity, no interference with other links and the fact optical band lies outside telecommunication
regulation.
FSO is the next frontier for network connectivity, and issues as data rate of transmission, spectrum and
security favor its adoption as an adjunct to radio frequency (RF) communications10, but the main problems
of FSO links working outdoors in the atmosphere result from attenuation and fluctuation of optical signal
at a receiver. Optical transmission can be more affected by fog for example, as well as the vastly used RF
transmission can be more affected by rain5. The challenge need to be addressed to fully exploit the benefits
of optical links.

B. About EDFA and its use in earth and space

The advancement in the field of optical fiber communications has been increasing with every past day5.
When setting up a fiber optic link, certain parameters like power budget, sensitivity of the receiver, link
quality and path loss are to be considered for effective error free communication between the transmitter
and the receiver8.
To establish a communication link of several kilometers repeaters are added at regular distances to
amplify the signal to overcome the path loss and other associated losses8. The conventional method
employed for these repeaters are Optical to Electrical Converters8 (O/E Converters), which transform the
optical signal to an electrical signal in order to transmit it. The use of such repeaters in optical
communication systems have made the systems more complex and increased their installation costs4.
Optical amplification was introduced as a response to build an easier way to establish optical
communication, since an OA enable the optical signals to be directly amplified optically4.
Another important property of Erbium ions is that they have quantum levels that can be stimulated
to emit in the least power loss 1540 nm band. This property of Erbium ions made it suitable to construct
good quality high gain amplifier5.
Erbium is the best optical fiber amplifier known11. Today, erbium fiber amplifiers carry signals
thousands of kilometers in submarine cables and transmit dozens of channels at 10 Gbit/s in commercial
land systems11. But EDFA had never been used in space1,6, because EDFA contains erbium-doped fiber
(EDF), which is sensitive to space radiation6.

EDFA study for nanosatellite integration: Amenosis López Arreguín 2

 For over two decades, many studies have been done about the radiation effect on EDFA13,14,15,16.
Griscom et al.12 firstly derive a power-law dependence of concentration on dose, giving a concise theory to
explain the relationship between the radiation dose and the performance parameters of the fiber.
Fudaka and Lewis teams reported effects of gamma-radiation on EDFs at different radiation
13,14
dose , as well as Rose et al.reported the gamma and proton radiation effects on erbium-doped
amplifiers15.
The only theoretical model about the prediction of EDFA degradation due to radiation, was
proposed by Berne et al. around one decade ago16. But no one of this before studied the EDFA for its future
application in space communication systems. One of the critical parameters to achieve reliable
communication, the central wavelength, is never considered6.
The report of Ma et al.6 was the first research devoted to study the degradation of EDFA critical
properties in space in order to achieve telecommunication, reporting the biggest radiation dose EDFA can
withstand in inter-satellite optical communication, but without take into account the actual causes of the
radiation effect on EDFA6. The conclusions are that people have not understood all the reasons about the
radiation effect, and the reported theory is not good enough and does not predict the radiation effect on
EDFA to achieve optical communication systems.
The available studies of EDFA to achieve this future communication links only indicate some
experimental results about the behavior change of performance parameters (output power, noise figure, and
peak wavelength) looking for the application to inter-satellite communication systems without dealing with
the reason of this variation.
As mentioned before, the objective of this work is to try to provide a theory model to predict the
performing of EDFA in space (focus on the three critical parameters mentioned), to achieve ground-satellite
and inter-satellite communications.

III. REFERENCES

1
M. Maignan and G. Gayrard, “Dossier charge utile: Conception d’une charge utile opto-microonde pour
picosatellite”, Thalès Alénia Space, DRT/RTB/JDG-12-006, June 24, 2013.
2
Harry J. R. Dutton, “Understanding Optical Communications”, 1st. ed., USA: IBM Corp., 1998, pp. 3-4.
3
I. Djordjevic, W. Ryan, B. Vasic, “Coding for Optical Channels”, 1st. ed., USA: Springer US, 2010, pp.
25-73.
4
P. M. Aljaff and B. O. Rasheed, World Ac. Of Sc. Eng. And Tech. 46, 40 (2008).
5
H. Henniger and O. Wilfert, Radioengineering 19, 203 (2010).
6
J. Ma, M. Li , L-Y. Tan, et al., Optik 121, 535 (2010).
8
M. Ramesh, J. Richards, J. Manohar, et al., IJSTR 2, 316 (2013)
9
H. Willebrand, B. Ghuman, IEEE Spectrum 38, 40 (2008).
10
S. Das, H. Henniger, B. Epple, C. Moore, Rabinovich, W. Sova, R. Young, “Requirements and challenges
for tactical free-space lasercomm” in IEEE Military Communications Conference, San Diego, 2008, pp.
1-10.
11
Hecht J., Optics and Phot. News 13, 36 (2002).
12
D.L. Griscom, M.E. Gingerich, E.J. Fribele, Phys. Rev. Lett. 71, 1019 (1993).
13
C. Fukada, Y. Chigusa, Kashiwida, et al., Electron. Lett. 30, 1342 (1994).
14
R.B.J. Lewis, E.S.R. Sikora, J.V. Wright, et al., Electron. Lett. 28, 1589 (1992).
15
T.S. Rose, D. Gunn, G.C. Valley, J. Light. Technol. 19, 1918 (2001).
16
O.Berne, M. Caussanel, O. Gilard, IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 2227 (2004).

EDFA study for nanosatellite integration: Amenosis López Arreguín 3

 IV. PROJECT SCHEDULE (GANTT CHART)
January 1-February 1
1.0 Bibliographic study
1.1 Quantum perspective of conduction
1.2 Conductors, Insulators and Semiconductors
1.3 Transistors
1.4 Spontaneous Emission
1.5 Laser fundamentals
1.6 Light Amplification in 1969
1.7 Optical Amplifiers
1.8 Fiber Optical Amplifiers
1.9 Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier

February 2-March 30
2.0 Exploring different topics:
2.1 Characterization on EDFA properties for fiber applications
2.2 Why EDFA in space?
2.3 Radiation picture on optical amplifiers
2.4 Study of relevant EDFA properties for future FSO links

April 1-June 24
3.0 Space Environment Simulation Predictions (SESP)
3.1 Simulate using OMERE 2.0 the induced loss on gain for ROSETA orbit, to predict the
decrement on gain EDFA will have during the mission.
3.2 Search proper software to predict other relevant properties set on (2.4)
3.3 Review work made by Berné et al., on “A model for the prediction of EDFA Gain in a Space
Radiation Environment”.

4.0 Understanding the behavior of EDFA: Theory modeling based on SESP

4.1 Multiple particles-EDFA interaction in orbit (less than 20krad doses)
 Theoretical model for characterization of EDFA in radiation environment
 Comparison of SESP results, and (3.3) vs Theoretical studies
 Measurements
4.2 High Density of particles-EDFA interaction in orbit (more than 20krad doses)
 Measurements and recovering data from different sources about the nature of the
interaction(difficult-to-predict)
 Theoretical modeling

EDFA study for nanosatellite integration: Amenosis López Arreguín 4

 Milestone 2
Half-term Report Mar 30

Milestone 3
Milestone 1 April 2 Milestone 4
Jan 1 Half-term Jun 25
Start presentation
Final Report

2015 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2015
Today
100% Jan 1 - Feb 1 Bibliographic study
Task 1
100% Feb 2 - Mar 30 Exploring different topics
Task 2
5% April 1 - Jun 24 SESP and Theory and modeling based on SESP
Task 3

EDFA study for nanosatellite integration: Amenosis López Arreguín 5