Patent · US Expired

Self-regulating multiwavelength optical amplifier module for scalable lightwave communications systems

US5392154A · kind A · utility

104Cited by
6References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 30, 1994
Grant dateFeb 21, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 30, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B2210/258
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a multiwavelength lightwave communications system automatic self-power regulation on a channel-by-channel basis is achieved with a cascade of multiwavelength amplifier modules (200), wherein each multiwavelength amplifier module in the cascade includes a plurality of pump-shared parallel fiber amplifiers (208) operated in gain-saturation and connected between an optical demultiplexer (203) and multiplexer (209). An optional first gain stage (202) improves performance with higher optical signal-to-noise ratio. By self-regulating the power in each channel, the communications system is scalable, allowing the system to grow without deleterious effects due to power spread.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.