Double Rayleigh scattering noise in Raman amplifiers using pump time-division-multiplexing schemes

The impact of signal double Rayleigh scattering (DRS) noise in time-division multiplexed counterpropagating Raman pumping schemes is theoretically and experimentally investigated. We show that, for small pump modulation duty cycles, DRS noise can be greatly enhanced with respect to continuous-wave pumping. By increasing the pump modulation frequency, however, this detrimental effect is effectively reduced, providing a powerful technique for noise figure equalization and pump four-wave mixing suppression in large bandwidth discrete and distributed amplifiers.