Optical amplification method and device usable with bands other than the C-band

An optical amplifier device, comprising:

• an amplification medium comprising at least one erbium doped fiber;
• an excitation light source to produce a population inversion ratio of about 0.7 to about 1.0 within the amplification medium;
• and
• a gain equalizer to obtain substantially identical wavelength characteristics for a wavelength band of from about 1490 nm to about 1530 nm.

An optical amplifier device, comprising:

• an amplification medium comprising at least one erbium doped fiber;
• an excitation light source to produce a population inversion ratio of about 0.8 to about 1.0 within the amplification medium;
• and
• a gain equalizer to obtain substantially identical wavelength characteristics for a wavelength band of from about 1450 nm to about 1490 nm.

An optical amplifier device, comprising:

• an amplification medium comprising at least one erbium doped fiber;
• an excitation light source to produce a population inversion ratio of about 0.3 to about 1.0 within the amplification medium;
• and
• a gain equalizer to obtain substantially identical wavelength characteristics for a wavelength band of from about 1610 nm to about 1650 nm.

An optical amplification method, comprising:

• selecting a population inversion ratio to achieve positive gain throughout an optical signal wavelength band;
• exciting the amplification medium to the selected population inversion ratio to produce a wavelength gain peak at a wavelength outside of the optical signal wavelength band;
• equalizing the gain to achieve substantially uniform gain over the optical signal wavelength band;
• and
• attenuating amplification in wavelength bands outside of the optical signal wavelength band.

An optical amplifier comprising:

• a WDM splitter to separate first and second different optical signal wavelength bands;
• an optical amplification device for the first wavelength optical signal band, comprising:
• a first amplification medium;
• an excitation light source to produce a first population inversion ratio within the first amplification medium;
• and
• a gain equalizer to obtain substantially uniform gain over the first optical signal wavelength band;
• an optical amplification device for the second wavelength band, comprising:
• a second amplification medium;
• and
• an excitation light source to produce a second population inversion ratio within the second amplification medium, the first and second population inversion ratios being different;
• and
• a WDM coupler to recombine the first and second optical wavelength bands after amplification.

An optical amplifier comprising:

• an optical amplification medium;
• an excitation source to stimulate the amplification medium to output amplified light having at least one wavelength gain peak;
• and
• a gain equalizer to equalize the amplified light such that gain is produced at wavelengths other than the wavelength gain peak.