Article comprising a wideband optical amplifier with a wide dynamic range

• Main Authors: WYSOCKI PAUL F, WLODAWSKI MITCHELL S
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.12.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION; ELECTRICITY

A multi-channel optical amplifier arrangement operating over a particular bandwidth is provided. The amplifier arrangement includes at least one optical amplifier stage that includes a rare-earth doped optical waveguide, at least one pump source for supplying optical pump energy to the doped optical waveguide, and at least one coupler for coupling the optical pump energy to the doped optical waveguide. The amplifier arrangement also includes a dynamic range enhancer (DRE) having an input and an output and a plurality of distinct optical paths each selectively coupling the input to the output. At least two of the optical paths produce different gain spectra across the particular operating bandwidth. The DRE further includes an optical path selector for selecting any optical path from among the plurality of optical paths such that for all channels in the particular bandwidth the selected path optically couples the input to the output of the DRE. An input or output of the optical amplifier stage is optically coupled to the output or the input, respectively, of the DRE.