The use of a 16 period strained multiquantum-well (MQW) structure associated with both tapers and windows yields high performance polarisation insensitive optical amplification. 23 dB fibre to fibre gain with small numerical aperture lensed fibres was achieved at 1.55 mu m for 150 mA injected current with less than 0.5 dB ripple, and polarisation sensitivity lower than 1 dB. Output beams show reproducible reduced circular far-field divergence. These characteristics are of great interest for practical use of this component in a large number of applications.