Reconfigurable optical amplifier
US8699125B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 6, 2010 |
| Grant date | Apr 15, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 22, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S2301/04
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A reconfigurable optical amplifier is formed of a plurality of optical switches and a plurality of fiber amplifier sections to provide a switchable amplifying network. A variable pump splitter provides pump light from an optical pump source to two or more fiber amplifier sections. The optical switches and variable pump splitters are formed in a planar lightwave circuit, which may further include pump WDM combiners, variable optical attenuators, tap couplers and other optical components, and to which monitoring photodiodes and the fiber amplifier sections are coupled. A same PLC can be used for a wide variety of reconfigurable optical amplifiers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.