Optical amplifier

Abstract

A contrivance, if a WDM signal state changes, is to improve an optical transmission quality by compensating gain flatness. A first excitation control unit sets a first optical pumping light source unit to emit excitation power needed to get the same amplifying operating level of a first amplifying medium as at the time of a maximum wavelength count when allocating wavelengths after a change in wavelength count at an equal interval in a wavelength range. A wavelength allocation bias estimation unit compares a present monitor value of optical power after outputting of a gain equalizerwith wavelength equi-allocation power associated with the recognized wavelength count, and thus estimates a wavelength allocation bias occurred as a concomitant of the change in the wavelength count. A primary gradient calculation unit obtains a primary gradient quantity defines as a gain deviation from the wavelength allocation bias. A second excitation control unit sets, in a second optical pumping light source unit, the excitation power needed to cancel the primary gradient quantity. An attenuation quantity control unit controls a variable optical attenuator to fix a gain by compensating an amount of change in the sum of gains.