Optical power equalizer

A power equalizer, comprising:

• an optical cavity adapted to receive an optical signal containing a plurality of wavelengths;
• and
• a photo-refractive medium disposed within said optical cavity, wherein the optical cavity is configured to filter higher power wavelengths more than lower power wavelengths, thereby substantially equalizing power of at least a portion of said plurality of wavelengths.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an optical cavity for receiving an optical signal having at least one wavelength, wherein said optical cavity has a finesse optically matched to said optical signal;
• and
• a photo-reactive medium disposed within said optical cavity, wherein said photo-reactive medium and said optical cavity are configured to form a diffraction grating in response to the optical signal which reduces the intensity of at least one wavelength in said optical signal.

A method of equalizing power in at least a portion of a multi-wavelength optical signal, comprising the steps of:

• directing an optical signal into a Fabry-Perot cavity containing a photo-refractive material thereby causing at least one reversible diffraction grating to be formed based on the spectral distribution of power in the optical signal;
• and
• optically coupling and outputting a portion of the multi-wavelength optical signal that is not diffracted by said at least one reversible diffraction grating.

A power equalizer, comprising:

• an optical cavity adapted to receive an optical signal containing a plurality of wavelengths;
• and
• a photo-refractive medium disposed within said optical cavity having a resultant change in refractive index ({overscore (Δn)}(z)) of approximately zero.

A system, comprising:

• an optical cavity comprising a photorefractive medium disposed therein, and a first optical path and a second optical path therethough, wherein said photorefractive medium is capable of adaptively forming a first diffraction grating in response to an intensity of first optical radiation received along said first optical path, and said photorefractive medium is capable of adaptively forming a second diffraction grating in response to an intensity of second optical radiation received along said second optical path;
• and
• a splitter having a first output optically coupled to said first optical path and a second output optically coupled to said second optical, said splitter having an input that receives input optical radiation and splits the input optical radiation into the first optical radiation and the second optical radiation.