Raman gain: pump-wavelength dependence in single-mode fiber

The magnitude of the stimulated Raman gain spectrum will depend on the absolute pump wavelength. Measurements of the pump-wavelength scaling of the stimulated Raman gain of several single-mode fibers are presented. The measurements were obtained by use of two techniques: a brute-force comparison of gain versus pump wavelength and a more elegant comparison of the asymmetry in the Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman gain spectrum at a fixed pump wavelength. This second asymmetry technique has the advantage that it is independent of the uncertainties typically associated with relative measurements of optical power. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.