Bismuth　(Bi)-doped　glasses　and　fibers　have　been　regarded　as　the　most　promising　gain　medium　for　broadband　optical　amplifiers.　However,　the　Bi-doped　glasses　and　fibers　still　meet　low　gain　and　insufficient　efficiency　due　to　the　volatilization,　uneven　distribution,　and　uncontrollable　valence　states　of　Bi　ions　in　the　high-temperature　(~2000℃)　modified　chemical　vapor　deposition　process.　Herein,　we　modified　the　sol-gel　method　and　synthesized　uniform　Bi-doped　glass　with　a　doping　concentration　of　0.5　wt.%　Bi　ions　at　1300℃.　Employing　an　808　nm　LD　as　a　pump,　the　Bi-doped　glass　showed　a　broadband　fluorescence　with　the　emission　peak　at　1413　nm　and　a　FWHM　of　112　nm.　On　this　basis,　the　Bi-doped　fibers　were　fabricated　by　rod-in-tube　method.　The　background　loss　was　measured　to　be　0.27　dB/m　at　1550　nm.　A　40　m　Bi-doped　fiber　amplifier　was　constructed　by　808　nm　backward　pumping.　The　maximum　on-off　gain　at　1395　nm　reached　36　dB,　heralding　the　potential　of　our　modified　sol-gel　method　for　high-gain　Bi-doped　glass　and　fiber　fabrication.　©　2024　SPIE.