Abstract
This article analyzes experimentally the limitations observed in lightwave systems using distributed Raman amplifiers operating under large pump power input conditions. The Brillouin effect is observed as the pump power reaches 1 W. The presence of Brillouin peaks degrades the performance of the system. The Raman amplification occurs in single mode and dispersion compensating fibers, being evaluated in a link at transmission rate of 40 Gb/s. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 1331-1335, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.25162

Abstract
The current status of the research and development as well as the recent contributions in optical communications at INESC Porto is reviewed. This review includes all the work carried out in the last few years in optical fiber communications, namely the development of passive and active optical devices. Some of the passive structures that have been studied and developed are: add-drop multiplexers, multiplexer/ demultiplexer based on Bragg grating technology, dispersion compensators, and optical cross-connects. Active photonic devices such as wavelength converters, fiber lasers, and fiber amplifiers have also been studied. New ideas are being continuously developed and tested.

Abstract
A new scheme based on four-wave mixing is presented using a ring erbium-doped fibre laser and tuneable fibre Bragg gratings that can effectively perform wavelength conversion in a wide wavelength range. An application of this wavelength-conversion architecture to optical communications is also presented.

Abstract
All-optical switching devices based on fibre Bragg grating (FBG) structures written on a standard single-mode fibre and in an erbium-doped fibre have been experimentally demonstrated in the third telecommunication window. The switching devices work due to the thermal changes induced by a high-power continuous-wave laser diode. The filters tunability characteristics have been demonstrated for different pump powers (up to 900 mW) and different pump laser wavelengths (at 980 and 1480 nm), presenting different thermal absorption behaviour within different working regimes. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.