Noise figure in optical amplifiers with a split-band architecture
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsAtul Kumar Srivastava, James William Sulhoff, Yan Sun, Paul Francis Wysocki
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Abstract
A wideband optical amplifier employs split-band architecture in which an optical signal passes through a common amplification stage and is then split to pass through parallel gain stages, each of which may be optimized for a particular band being traversed. A broadband grating reflector is used after the input gain section to reflect the signals of one of the bands so that they again will pass through the common input gain section before passing through gain section of the split structure dedicated to their particular wavelength. Meanwhile, the other signals pass through the reflector and move on through the gain section pertinent to their wavelength.
Claims13
A broadband amplifier for wavelength division multiplex optical communication networks including a common amplification stage for delivering wave energy to a first and second optical channel respective to a first and second band within said broadband, the improvement comprising:
- means in said first optical channel for reflecting said second band energy back through said common amplification stage for delivery to said second optical channel.
A method of providing broadband amplification for optical signals encompassing two or more optical bands comprising the steps of
- a) passing said signals through an amplification stage;
- b) splitting said signals emerging from said amplification stage into separate optical channels;
- one of said channels providing greater gain for the signals in one of said optical band than is provided for others of said signals;
- and
- c) reflecting at least one of said others of said signals to again pass through said amplification stage.
A broadband amplifier for wavelength division multiplex optical communication networks comprising:
- a) a common amplification stage;
- b) a first and second optical channel respective to a first and second band within said broadband for receiving energy from said common amplification stage;
- and
- c) means for reflecting said second band energy back through said common amplification stage for delivery to said second optical channel.
A method of providing broadband amplification for both L-band and C-band signals comprising the steps of passing both L-band and C-band signals through a common amplification stage which provides greater gain for the signals in one band than is provided for signals in the other band and reflecting the other band signals to pass through the common amplification stage at least one additional time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.