Design of Clad-pumped 3M-EDFA for MDM-WDM system with 3 × 16 channels

• Design 3M-EDFA graded index amplifier for MDM-WDM system with three signal modes, each accommodating 16 distinct wavelengths. • 3M-EDFA using cladding pump achieves gain excursion of 1.1 dB and a noise figure excursion of 0.27 dB. • Peak values attained for DMG and DMNF in the wavelength range of 1533 nm to 1540.5 nm are 0.17 dB and 0.18 dB respectively. Mode division multiplexing-wavelength division multiplexing (MDM-WDM) is a critical technology for expanding optical fiber transmission capacity, addressing future capacity demands. Few-mode erbium-doped fiber amplifier (FM-EDFA) is crucial for mitigating optical fiber loss in MDM-WDM systems within space division multiplexing (SDM) environments. We aim to develop a three-mode EDFA (3M-EDFA) capable of accommodating 16 wavelengths for each signal mode in MDM-WDM systems. In this research, we exploit the property of emission and absorption cross-sections of erbium ions in silica glass. Maintaining the integrated normalised population over a particular range of values along our branching matrix multi-optimization strategy for the optimisation of FM-EDFA for MDM-WDM system. Employing cladding pump power, 3M-EDFA system showcases exceptional performance, achieving gains exceeding 24.36 dB and maintaining noise figures below 3.47 dB across all the 48 channels. Across all channels, the 3M-EDFA has a gain excursion (GE) and noise figure excursion (NFE) of 1.1 dB and 0.27 dB. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the pinnacle values attained for the differential modal gain (DMG) and differential modal noise figure (DMNF) within the wavelength range of 1533 nm to 1540.5 nm are a mere 0.17 dB and 0.18 dB, respectively. These new characteristics of FM-EDFA make it ideally suited for MDM-WDM applications, rendering it an exceptional choice for powering high-capacity MDM-WDM networks within SDM environments.