An optical fiber transmission line including first, second and third optical
fibers
connected together so that light travels through the transmission line from the
first optical fiber, then through the second optical fiber and then through the
third optical fiber. The first, second and third optical fibers have first, second
and third characteristic values, respectively. The second characteristic value
is larger than the first characteristic value and the third characteristic value.
The characteristic value of a respective optical fiber being a nonlinear refractive
index of the optical fiber divided by an effective cross section of the optical
fiber. Pump light is supplied to the transmission line so that Raman amplification
occurs in the transmission line as an optical signal travels through the transmission line.