Abstract: A fibre drawing method for forming a fibre from a low Young's modulus material.

Abstract: A fibre drawing method for forming a fibre from a low Young's modulus material.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for monitoring individual wavelength division multiplexed data channel signals of a multiple data channel optical signal which is being amplified by a gain-clamped optical amplifier, the method comprising the steps of modulating each wavelength division multiplexed data channel signal with an associated lower frequency identification signal before the optical signal is amplified, the frequency of each identification signal being chosen such that it uniquely identifies the associated data channel signal and such that at least a portion of each identification signal is transferred onto a gain-clamping signal of the amplifier, and monitoring each identification signal as a component of the gain-clamping signal. There is also provided a gain-clamped optical amplifier for amplifying a multiple data channel optical signal.

Abstract: An optical amplifier waveguide provides variable amplification gain to a broad wavelength input signal. The degree of amplification is proportional to the length of the transmission of the input signal along the amplification waveguide. The amplification waveguide means further comprises a series of output wavelength couplers, which are preferably fiber gratings, placed along the length of the amplification waveguide for coupling a predetermined amplified signal from the amplification waveguide to the output fiber. Additionally, the optical amplifier waveguide of the present invention may include a plurality of noise wavelength coupling means, which are preferably fiber gratings, for coupling unwanted noise from the amplification waveguide means to a noise dissipation means.