Amplifier Noise & CPA Calculator
Calculate cascaded noise figure for multi-stage amplifiers and B-integral stretch requirements for CPA systems.
Optical and RF amplifier chains accumulate noise according to the Friis cascading formula: each stage's noise figure (NF) contributes in proportion to the inverse of all preceding gain. This tool's Noise Figure Cascade mode accepts up to five amplifier stages — each defined by gain (dB) and NF (dB) — and returns the system-level NF and total gain. The B-Integral / CPA mode computes the nonlinear phase accumulation (B-integral) in a chirped-pulse amplification system: given pulse energy, beam area, pulse duration, nonlinear index n₂, propagation length, and wavelength, it calculates peak intensity, total B-integral, and the minimum required temporal stretch to keep B below π — the conventional threshold for avoiding significant nonlinear distortion.