Abstract: Active-fiber optical amplifier connected to optical fiber lines or a telecommunication signal source through energy reflection limiting means, such as optical isolators, for limiting the reflected energy, due to Rayleigh scattering, which reaches the active fiber, to permit increased amplifier gain. The input of the active fiber is connected to a dichroic coupler which is also connected to a pumping energy source by an optical fiber having a bevelled end surface or an antireflection coating at the energy source end to limit reflection of energy to the active fiber. Also, a telecommunication system including one or more of such protected amplifiers.

Abstract: A unit for amplifying light signals in optical fiber transmission lines includes a fiber optical amplifier to which light signals are transmitted through an input optical fiber line, and from which the signals, after having been amplified, are introduced into an output optical fiber line. First and second optical insulators are interposed between the fiber optical amplifier and the input and output lines to prevent the transmission of optical noise signals from the input and output lines, respectively, to the amplifier.

Abstract: An optical amplifier, particularly useful for optical fiber telecommunication lines, which includes an active fiber doped with a fluorescent dopant which provides light energy emission at the wavelength of the transmission signals when the latter signals are applied thereto. One section of telecommunication line is connected to one input of a dichroic coupler, the output of which is connected to one end of the active fiber and the other input of which is connected to a source of pumping energy at a wavelength lower than that of the transmission signals. The other end of the active fiber is connected to another section of the telecommunication line. In rectilinear form, the active fiber provides single-mode propagation of the energy at the signal wavelength and multi-mode propagation of energy at the pumping energy wavelength.

Abstract: An optical, low-noise amplifier of the active-fiber type, which fiber contains a laser light emitting substance, adapted to be connected to an optical telecommunication fiber and receiving light therefrom at the transmission wavelength. The active fiber is also fed from a light source at a pumping wavelength and has a length corresponding to a partial absorption of the pumping light. Downstream of active fiber, there is a selective mirror device which reflects the light at the pumping wavelength and is transparent to the transmission wavelength light. Preferably, the mirror device consists of an optical demultiplexer adapted to separate the transmission wavelength and the pumping wavelength on two output fibers. A mirror which reflects the pumping wavelength is present at the end of the fiber carrying the pumping wavelength.

Abstract: An optical amplifier (3) in accordance with the invention consists of the assembly of a length of active-core optical fiber (8), single-mode to both pumping and signal optical radiations, and a dichroic coupler (6) which includes two optical fiber lengths (9, 10), both single-mode to pumping and signal optical radiations, coupled to each other over one portion (11) by fusion of the respective claddings and substantial setting in common of the respective cores in the fused portion (11).

Abstract: An optical fiber transmission line which includes units for injecting into, and units for extracting, optical service signals from the line's optical fiber. The units include optical service signal emitters and receivers for receiving from the optical line and/or injecting into the optical line service signals in the form of optical signals having a wavelength which is substantially different from the wavelength of the telecommunication signals also transmitted over the optical line, each of the units is associated with an optical coupler which is inserted in the line and which is suitable for coupling it with the line fiber and/or for extracting the optical service signals from the line fiber.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical amplifier, in particular for optical fiber telecommunication lines (1), operating with a transmission signal in a predetermined wavelength range, which amplifier comprises a fluorescent active optical fiber (6) doped with erbium, having two cores (11 and 12, 101 and 102), one (11, 101) of which is connected to a fiber (4) in which a transmission signal to be amplified and a luminous pumping energy are multiplexed, and to an outgoing fiber adapted to transmit the amplified signal, whereas the second core (12, 102) is optically coupled to the first core and is capable of absorbing the spontaneous erbium emission which would constitute a noise source, allowing a signal to be amplified in a wavelength range substantially corresponding to the tolerance range of the commercially available signal laser emitters.

Abstract: An optical fiber telecommunication line composed of a number of series connected optical cables arranged end-to-end includes an active core optical fiber amplifier for the transmitted signals between each adjacent pair of optical cables. Two pumping optical radiation sources are connected to each active core optical fiber within each of the amplifiers, one source for each end of a single active core optical fiber. One of these two sources is placed into service and the second one is kept in reserve to be placed into service if the first one fails. A microprocessing circuit causes the sources to send distinctive recognizable alarm signals indicative of the state of an associated amplifier to terminal stations at the ends of the line and to receive therefrom control signals to control and exchange the functions between the two sources as necessary.

Abstract: An optical fibre structure usable in amplifying optical signals, comprising a length of optical fibre (1) which includes two uniformally spaced monomode optical cores (2,4) located within a common cladding (6) so as to provide two optical guidance paths, the optical characteristics of at least the cores being different such as to give the two guidance paths different propagation constants the values of which coincide for a predetermined coupling wavelength, one of the cores including a fluorescent material capable of producing stimulated emission. There is also disclosed a method of amplifying an optical signal using such an optical fibre structure, comprising arranging for the wavelength (.lambda..sub.s) of the optical signal, the fluorescent wavelength of said material in said one core, and said predetermined coupling wavelength all to be substantially the same, launching optical pump energy having a different wavelength (.lambda..sub.

Abstract: A cable for conveying both electrical power and optical signals, the cable having an electric conductor with insulation therearound, a sheath around the insulation, a one or two part protective layer around the insulation, a tube within the protective layer and at least one optical fiber loosely received in the tube. The protective layer can have armoring therearound and in this case, the radial thickness of the protective layer is from two to four times the diameter of the tube.