The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 20, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 29, 1999
Richard J. Cereo, Beaver Dams, NY (US);
David O. Culverhouse, Montour Falls, NY (US);
Thomas W. McNamara, Corning, NY (US);
Shou-Jong Sheih, Red Bank, NJ (US);
Corning Incorporated, Corning, NY (US);
Abstract
Techniques for controlling the shape of the gain spectrum of an optical amplifier (,) based on the temperature and level of inversion of the amplifier's amplifying medium (,) are provided. An increase in temperature for an amplifying medium having a high level of inversion results in an increase in gain for longer wavelengths relative to shorter wavelengths, i.e., a counterclockwise tilt of the gain spectrum, while an increase in temperature for an amplifying medium having a lower level of inversion results in the opposite effect, i.e., a clockwise tilt. These effects can be used to compensate for changes in the operating conditions of the amplifier, e.g., to compensate for changes in signal powers. The effects of thermal tuning are especially useful in WDM systems employing multi-stage amplifiers.