Optical amplifier noise figure reduction for optical single-sideband signals

This paper analyzes the amplification of optical single-sideband signals, highlighting the significance of the optical signal bandwidth in determining signal-amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) beat noise. It predicts that an electrical noise figure of one may be realized for single-sideband signals using appropriate optical filtering. It verifies noise figure reduction experimentally, demonstrating an electrical noise figure of 1.1/spl times/ the spontaneous emission factor of the amplifier, which is 2.6 dB below the limit for conventional intensity modulated signals.