Corning Incorporated

Yongqian Liu

Mark Francis Krol

Sergio Tsuda

Peter Gerard Wigley

Christopher Philip Brophy

Felton Aaron Flood

Michael Vasilyev

Richard G Smart

Gregory G Luther

A system and method for amplifying an optical signal within an optical waveguide amplifier including providing at least one optical waveguide amplifier having an input for receiving an optical source signal therein and an output, wherein a forward pumping direction extends from the input to the output and rearward pumping direction extends from the output to the input. The system also includes providing at least one excitation light source in optical communication with the optical waveguide amplifier and capable of generating at least one excitation light. The system further includes amplifying the source signal by pumping a first excitation light from the excitation light source in the rearward pumping direction, and amplifying the source signal by simultaneously pumping a second excitation light from the excitation light source in the forward direction.

Optical amplifier with reduced non-linear signal impairments by optimum pumping configuration and method for using same

The present invention relates to an optical amplifier system in which multiple laser cavities are utilized to control the gain of an erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). More specifically, the present invention is directed to an optical amplifier comprising a gain medium such as an erbium doped optical fiber which provides gain for an optical signal propagating therein. The gain medium also provides gain for a plurality of laser cavities (e.g. first and second laser cavities) which simultaneously oscillate at individual (e.g. first and second) wavelengths. The inventive optical amplifier results in reduced variation in gain spectrum as a function of input signal power, as a function of wavelength, and as a function of time. By varying the optical attenuation in one or more of the individual laser cavities it is possible to vary the gain spectrum of the gain medium at the corresponding individual wavelength and this controls the shape of the gain spectrum of the gain medium.

Gain control and shaping of EDFAs via dual cavity gain control

The optical amplifier includes a first gain medium having an optical host that contains a rare earth dopant and a first pump that supplies optical energy at a first wavelength into this first gain medium. The first pump operates at a pump wavelength that has a lower inversion saturation than the highest wavelength of absorption of the first gain medium. The optical amplifier further comprises a second gain medium operatively coupled to the first gain medium and a second pump that supplies optical energy into the second gain medium.

Long band optical amplifier

An optical amplifier comprises: a first gain medium having an optical host that contains a rare earth dopant and a first pump that supplies optical energy at a first wavelength into this first gain medium. The first gain medium is an optical fiber of a predetermined length, such that inversion of this first gain medium is not saturated. The optical amplifier further comprises a second gain medium operatively coupled to the first gain medium and a second pump that supplies optical energy into the second gain medium. According to an embodiment of the present invention the predetermined length of the optical fiber of the first gain medium is 1 to 6 meters and preferably 1.5 to 4.5 meters.

A Mach-Zehnder device includes a delay element in one arm which delays propagation of light at a first wavelength relative to propagation of light at a second wavelength. The delay element may be made up of a grating having a period which causes coupling of the first wavelength from a first mode into a second mode. In another aspect, the invention includes a second grating positioned downstream from the first grating and having a period which causes coupling of the portion of light from the second propagation mode back into the first propagation mode. Also disclosed is an optical waveguide in which light at a wavelength &lgr; can propagate in at least a first and a second mode. The waveguide has an effective index of refraction n with respect to the first propagation mode of &lgr;, and an effective index of refraction n with respect to the second propagation mode. A grating formed in said waveguide and having a period approximately equal to(&lgr;/2)(n &minus;n ).

Wavelength dependent phase delay device

Wavelength dispersion and spatial light modulation are combined having regard for polarization management within a feedback control system for dynamically adjusting spectral power distributions among different wavelength channels. Micro-optic, hybrid, and planar implementations are proposed along with coupling schemes to larger fiber optic systems. Utility is found throughout multi-channel wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission systems.

Growing community of inventors

Painted Post, NY, United States of America

Yongqian Liu