Performance comparisons between the semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and the erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA)

Ian Forsyth, David and Al Gburi, Ahmed Jamal Abdullah and Tariq, Kanar R. and Johni, Riyam Alaa (2025) Performance comparisons between the semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and the erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). Journal of Applied Science and Technology Trends, 6 (2). pp. 372-377. ISSN 2708-0757

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Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive comparison between erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) and semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs), focusing on their potential suitability for long-haul optical transmission. Using identical configurations and data rates in OptiSystem simulations, performance metrics such as gain, Q-factor, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were systematically analyzed over a wide span of input powers. Saturation analysis revealed that SOAs can achieve comparable or even superior gain to EDFAs under certain operating points. The results indicate that SOAs deliver significantly higher Q-factors before deep saturation occurs, with observed improvements of up to 25 dB at an input level of 11.9 dBm. Similarly, the SNR of SOAs exceeded that of EDFAs by nearly 20 dB under identical conditions. These findings suggest that, when biased in the appropriate regime, SOAs hold strong potential for deployment in next-generation long-haul optical systems.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), Erbium-doped-fiber-amplifier (EDFA), Q-factor
Divisions:	Faculty Of Electronics And Computer Technology And Engineering
Depositing User:	Sabariah Ismail
Date Deposited:	18 Aug 2026 04:15
Last Modified:	18 Aug 2026 04:15
URI:	http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/30316
Statistic Details:	View Download Statistic

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