Batch multicore amplification with cladding-pumped multicore EDF

We demonstrate multicore amplification with a double-cladding multicore erbium-doped fibre whose cladding is pumped by one multimode laser. We obtain gain of >15dB, noise figure of <;5.5dB and crosstalk of <;-30dB between 1580 and 1610nm. Two 10Gbit/s signals in each independent core are simultaneously amplified without additional penalty.