Optical amplifier and an optical amplification method

Abstract

An optical amplifier using the evanescent light to control the optical output level is provided. The optical amplifier includes: a waveguide path transmitting an optical signal; an optical amplification unit formed on the waveguide path and amplifying the optical signal by an excitation light; an irradiation unit irradiating the excitation light to the optical amplification unit; an optical detection unit generating an electric signal which corresponds to a detected light; a branching unit branching an evanescent light being the optical signal outputted from the optical amplification unit and leaked outside the waveguide path, and focusing the evanescent light on the optical detection unit; a wavelength detection unit detecting a wavelength multiplicity of the optical signal based on the detected evanescent light; and a light amount adjustment unit adjusting a light amount of the excitation light irradiated by the irradiation unit based on the wavelength multiplicity.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.