Abstract: A multi-stage Raman amplifier includes a first Raman amplifier stage having a first sloped gain profile operable to amplify a plurality of signal wavelengths, and a second Raman amplifier stage having a second sloped gain profile operable to amplify at least most of the plurality of signal wavelengths after those wavelengths have been amplified by the first stage. The second sloped gain profile is approximately complementary slope to the slope of the first sloped gain profile. The combined effect of the first and second Raman stages contributes to an approximately flat overall gain profile over the plurality of signal wavelengths.

Abstract: The invention includes a method for controlling amplifier output power in an optical communications network. A first transmission parameter is determined at a first amplifier. In an exemplary embodiment, the first transmission parameter is a composite express signal to noise ratio. The total output power of a downstream amplifier is adjusted in response to the first transmission parameter. A system for implementing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system for equalizing Q performance of a wideband, Raman-amplified optical communication system are disclosed. Wideband, Raman-amplifed systems suffer significant performance degradation from nonlinear effects in shorter wavelength channels. Absent compensation, the shorter wavelength channels limit system performance and restrict the amount of launch power that can be employed for the optical data signals in each wave division multiplexed channel. Careful design that employs increased channel spacing in the nonlinear region of the bandwidth can offset the increased nonlinear effects, thereby improving the worst channel's Q performance and permitting high launch power without unacceptable Q performance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for controlling the optical output power from an optical amplifier arrangement. The arrangement includes a rare-earth doped fiber for imparting gain to an optical input signal propagating therethrough, a pump source for supplying pump power to the rare-earth doped fiber, and a tap for receiving a portion of the output power generated by the rare-earth doped fiber and converting it to a control signal. A controller is also provided for receiving the control signal and generating a bias current in response thereto for driving the pump source. The method begins by receiving an optical input signal that is being amplitude modulated at a prescribed frequency. The slew rate of the controller is adjusted so that the bias current drives the pump source to generate pump power that cannot vary at a rate greater than a slew-rate limit established by the controller. In this way resonance between the input signal and the frequency of the feedback control loop can be avoided.

Abstract: An optical signal amplifier comprises a light source, a depolarizer, and a gain medium that transfers energy from a pump beam output from the depolarizer to the optical signal. The depolarizer may comprise one or more birefringent optical fibers which support two polarization modes, a fast mode and a slow mode. The light propagates in the fast mode at a higher velocity than the light propagates in the slow mode so as to impart phase delay as the light propagates in the birefringent optical fibers, thereby at least partially depolarizing the beam.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a flat gain over very broad gain bands utilizing backward-pumped Raman amplification. The method allows for dynamic gain control through simple electronic means.

Abstract: A Raman amplifier, system and method using a plurality of pumps configured to pump light into an optical fiber so as to Raman-amplify an optical signal propagating through the optical fiber. The Raman amplifier also includes an optical coupler configured to optically interconnect the pumping device with the optical fiber, and a control unit configured to control the pumping device so as to achieve a target amplification performance. Further, the control unit monitors the Raman-amplified WDM signal and determines if the monitored Raman-amplified WDM signal is within an allowable tolerance of the target amplification performance. If the Raman-amplified signal is not within the allowable tolerance, the control unit actively controls the pumps to bring the monitored Raman-amplified signal within the allowable tolerance of the target amplification profile.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an inhomogeneity tunable erbium-doped optical fiber amplifier with a long wavelength band and method of blocking a backward amplified spontaneous light emission in the same. The optical fiber amplifier includes a control device situated between a first amplification stage and a second amplification stage for controlling an isolation rate of a backward amplified spontaneous light emission being propagated from a second amplification stage to the first amplification stage. The method blocks a backward amplified spontaneous light emission in a two-stage inhomogeneity tunable erbium-doped optical fiber amplifier with a long wavelength gain band, in which the backward amplified spontaneous light emission being propagated from a second amplification stage to a first amplification stage is blocked, and an isolation rate of the backward amplified spontaneous light emission is controlled according to the intensity of an optical signal inputted to the first amplification stage.

Abstract: An optical amplifying unit includes an input for the input optical signals and an output for the output of the optical signals. A single-mode active fiber codoped with Er and Yb is optically connected to the input and the output and adapted to amplify the optical signals. A first pump source generates a first pump radiation including an excitation wavelength for Er, and a second pump source for generates a second pump radiation including an excitation wavelength for Yb. A first optical coupler optically couples the first pump radiation into the core of the active fiber in a co-propagating direction with respect to signal direction, and a second optical coupler optically couples the second pump radiation into the core of the active fiber in a counter-propagating direction with respect to signal direction.

Abstract: The invention includes a method for controlling amplifier output power in an optical communications network having channel add/drop capability. A first transmission parameter and a second transmission parameter are determined at a first amplifier. In an exemplary embodiment, the first transmission parameter is a composite express signal-to-noise ratio and the second transmission parameter is a composite signal-to-noise ratio. The total output power of a downstream amplifier is adjusted in response to the first transmission parameter and second transmission parameter. A system for implementing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical amplifier apparatus according to the invention is provided with a pumping light source that outputs pumping light for pumping first and second optical amplifying media. Therefore an input signal light is amplified by the first and second optical amplifying media mutually connected in series and a wavelength division multiplexing coupler that inputs the pumping light to both optical amplifying media and adopts configuration that an optical equalizer is arranged between the first and second optical amplifying media. Therefore, as pumping light passes the optical equalizer and pumps the two optical amplifying media by arranging the optical equalizer between both optical amplifying media, the optical amplifying medium after the optical equalizer amplifies, the loss of the optical equalizer is compensated and the optical amplification of high output is acquired.

Abstract: In a method of amplitude equalization of a plurality of optical signals having mutually different wavelengths, the optical signals are launched into a first end of an optical fiber (5). The optical signals are amplified, before being launched into the fiber (5), to a level at which at least one of the signals exceeds a stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) threshold value (TSBS) characteristic of the fiber, so that part of the signal energy in the fiber is transferred to a Stokes signal propagating in the fiber (5) in a direction opposite to said optical signals. An apparatus for amplitude equalization of a plurality of optical signals having mutually different wavelengths comprises an optical fiber (5) having an input end (6) where said optical signals may be supplied to the fiber, and an output end (10) where said optical signals may be tapped from the fiber after equalization.

Abstract: A method for enabling a pump laser to be added on by means of an optical fiber Raman amplifier and reducing signal degradation to be caused by a gain change to occur after and in the pump laser source add-on process. The above method is achieved as follows. Add-on ports 114-1 and 114-2 are provided in a wavelenth multiplexer 110 so as to enable new wavelength pump laser sources to be added on. When an add-on pump laser source 112 is turned on, the output intensity of each of the pre-installed Raman pump lasers 111-1 and 111-2 changes, thereby the intensity of each signal laser in each pre-installed band is kept unchanged before and after the add-on. The output intensity of each pump laser source that increases/decreases the output, for example, during the add-on is changed linearly with time, thereby the transient gain changes in the pre-installed bands are prevented.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention includes an optical amplifier operable to amplify a plurality of optical wavelength signals at least in part through Raman amplification. The amplifier includes an input operable to receive a plurality of wavelength signals and an output operable to communicate an amplified version of at least some of the plurality of wavelength signals. The amplifier further includes a pump assembly operable to generate one or more pump signals and a gain medium operable to receive the plurality of wavelength signals and the one or more pump signals and to facilitate amplification of at least some of the plurality of wavelength signals. The amplifier has associated with it a noise figure having a shape varying as a function of wavelength. At least one of the one or more pump signals is operable to have its power varied to selectively control the shape of the noise figure.

Abstract: Optical amplifiers and other optical network equipment for handling optical data signals in fiber-optic communications links are provided. Optical fiber that is pumped by laser diode pumps is used to provide optical gain. The laser diode pumps may be based on laser diode devices that do not have temperature controllers and integral back facet monitors. A control unit may be used to keep track of the age of the laser diode pumps. Information on the age of the pumps may be used to determine the maximum allowable drive current for driving the pumps. Information on the age of the pumps may also be used to select an appropriate drive current level during operation of the pumps.

Abstract: In the optical amplifier an optical divider based on long wavelength (or short wavelength) transmission type dielectric multi-layer filter divides input signal light according to wavelengths, and amplifying sections disposed in parallel and having different respective wavelength amplification regions respectively amplify light signals emitted from the optical divider, and an optical combiner based on long wavelength (or short wavelength) transmission type dielectric multi-layer filter combines light signals output from the respective amplifying sections. In another configuration of the optical amplifier, input signal light is divided using an optical divider based on a dielectric multi-layer filter of a long wavelength (or short wavelength) transmission type, and output signals from the divider are filtered using an optical filter connected in series to a short wavelength (or long wavelength) amplifier generating a loss in the long wavelength (or short wavelength) region of the light signals.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an optical fiber amplifier having a switchable or interchangeable fiber module for varying the effective length of an amplification fiber. An optical fiber amplifier for wavelength-division multiplex (WDM) signals comprises an interchangeable fiber module (FM) in the basic amplifier module (VM) for matching the gain to different input levels for optimum noise behavior. The change in amplification is based on the variation of the length of the amplification fibers (EDF1, EDF2).

Abstract: In order to obtain optical transmission equipment for wavelength division multiplexing for providing a small inter-wavelength deviation regardless of a change in an input level, an amplification band is divided with wavelengths at inflection points in a wavelength gain characteristic of an impurity-doped fiber. The equipment includes an optical filter unit and a optical gain adjusting unit. The optical filter unit obtains filter characteristics associated with wavelength gain characteristics for a plurality of input levels by changing a temperature thereof. The optical gain adjusting unit includes a wavelength gain characteristic shift filter having a Peltier element for controlling the temperate of the optical filter unit.

Abstract: An optical amplifier includes an optical amplification medium which has simultaneous inputs of a WDM signal light and a pumping light and amplifies the WDM signal light, a pumping light source, and an amplification characteristic supervisor part which evaluates the gain tilt of amplified WDM signal lights. The supervisor part is provided in advance with a record of the relation between the medium output light power and the pumping light power corresponding to the output light power in terms of a number of proper curves plotted for certain gain tilts, and adapted to select a proper curve which is nearest to the relation in operation between the power of the pumping light which is incident to the medium in operation and the resulting amplified output light power from among the recorded proper curves, thereby determining the gain tilt of the medium based on the selected proper curve.

Abstract: The invention is a ribbon of an optical material with a plurality of cores that run along its length. The plurality of cores includes lasing impurity doped cores in an alternating spaced arrangement with index-modifying impurity doped cores. The ribbon comprises an index of refraction that is substantially equal to or greater than the indices of refraction of said array of lasing impurity doped cores. Index-increasing impurity doped cores promote antiguiding and leaky modes which provide more robust single “supermode” operation.