A configuration for linear cavity Brillouin fiber laser (BFL) generation is demonstrated using a standard single-mode fiber, two optical circulators, a 3 dB coupler, and a 95/5 coupler to allow high efficiency. With a Brillouin pump (BP) power of 13 dBm, the laser peak power is 12.3 dB higher than a conventional linear cavity BFL at an upshifted wavelength of 0.086 nm from the BP wavelength. In addition, it is revealed that the BFL peak power can be higher than the transmitted BP peak power when the BP power exceeds the second Brillouin Stokes threshold power.
The effects of backward, forward, and bidirectional Raman pumping schemes on stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is investigated in this study. By using a linear cavity, we utilize residual Brillouin pump (BP) and Raman pump (RP) power after each transmission through a 25 km single-mode fiber (SMF) used as a gain medium. The SBS threshold power is reduced in the forward, backward, and bidirectional Raman pumping schemes by 2.5, 1.75, and 2.75 dB, respectively when the 1480 nm RP power is fixed at 150 mW and the BP wavelength is 1580 nm. Surprisingly, it is revealed that the SBS threshold reduction depends strongly and solely on Raman gain and it is independent of the Raman pumping schemes. In addition, the effect of Raman amplification on SBS is more effective at the SBS threshold, especially in the bidirectional and forward schemes.