Temperature-dependent gain and noise in fiber Raman amplifiers.

An experimental investigation of the temperature dependence of the gain and noise performance of a silica-fiber Raman amplifier is described. A decrease in the Raman scattering cross section in a fiber amplifier cooled from a temperature of 300 K to 77 K was measured and found to be in agreement with theoretical values. No difference between the Raman gain coefficients at these two temperatures was observed.