A medium in which stimulated emission can increase an incident optical signal. Its unsaturated gain, saturation response and loss budget determine the propagation. A population balance with negative net gain instead describes absorption.
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An optical amplifier is a device that amplifies an optical signal directly, without the need to convert it to an electrical signal first. It is a key component in fiber optic communication systems and is used to boost the strength of light signals over long distances, where signal attenuation can occur.