Optical signal power monitor and regulator

An optical signal power monitor apparatus including a lasing semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), the lasing SOA comprising:

• a semiconductor gain medium for amplifying an optical signal to generate a temporary optical signal;
• a first surface of the semiconductor gain medium for receiving the optical signal;
• a second surface of the semiconductor gain medium for outputting the temporary optical signal;
• an optical cavity including the semiconductor gain medium, a first mirror, and a second mirror opposing the first mirror;
• a photon mode associated with the optical cavity,
• a cavity loss associated with a loss of photons at the photon mode;
• a cavity gain associated with a gain of photons at the photon mode;
• a pumping mechanism coupled to the semiconductor gain medium,
• where the pumping mechanism is operated above a lasing threshold level so that the cavity gain is substantially in equilibrium with the cavity loss and a ballast laser signal is output from the optical cavity;
• where amplification of the optical signal by the semiconductor gain medium is substantially constant over a range of optical signal strengths;
• and
• where the ballast laser signal monitor a power level of the optical signal.