Optimized design of single-pump fiber optical parametric amplifier with highly nonlinear fiber segments using a differential evolution algorithm

Fiber optical parametric amplifiers (FOPAs) are regarded as one of the candidate optical amplifiers for future ultralong-distance, large-capacity, and high-speed optical fiber communication systems. FOPAs provide high signal gain and low noise figures compared with other optical amplifiers. However, they suffer from gain fluctuation, which restricts commercial application. Optimization of the dispersion parameters of highly nonlinear fibers (HNLFs) employed as gain media is essential because they have an immediate impact on the flatness of the amplifier. An optimization method for multiple HNLF segments using the differential evolution algorithm is proposed to minimize spectral gain variation. We theoretically yield an FOPA with an average signal gain of 20 dB and gain fluctuation <0.5 dB within 400 nm.