Patent ID: 6721475
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: G02B,H04B,H04J

Abstract:
A multiple band optical communication system comprising:a plurality of optical amplifiers, each operable to receive and amplify at least one of a plurality of communication bands, each communication band comprising a plurality of wavelengths; and a gain equalizer coupled to at least one of the plurality of optical amplifiers, the gain equalizer operable to receive one of the plurality of amplified wavelengths and to selectively introduce attenuation or gain into each wavelength, the gain equalizer comprising: a wavelength division demultiplexer operable to separate one or more communication bands into a plurality of wavelengths; an array of phase shifter stages each comprising: a micro-electro-optic system (MEMS) device comprising a moveable mirror layer operable to receive a first copy of an input signal from a beam splitter and to reflect the first copy of the input signal for combination with a second copy of the input signal at an output to form an output signal, wherein the first copy of the input signal and the second copy of the input signal comprise unequal amplitudes, the moveable mirror layer displaceable in a substantially piston-like motion to introduce a phase shift between the first and second signal copies at the output, the amplitude of the output signal varying depending on the displacement of the moveable mirror layer; and a wavelength division multiplexer operable to receive a plurality of phase shifted wavelengths and to multiplex at least some of the phase shifted wavelengths into an optical output signal.