Patent ID: 6542675
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An apparatus, comprising:a first plurality of single-mode optical fibers into which to inject wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical signals; a plurality of input optical fibers, each of the input optical fibers capable to provide an optical input signal having a wavelength different from wavelengths of other optical input signals provided by other input optical fibers in the plurality; a multiplexer coupled to the plurality of input optical fibers to wavelength division multiplex the optical input signals provided from the plurality of input optical fibers to generate one of the WDM optical signals; an amplifier having an input coupled to the multiplexer to amplify the one WDM optical signal generated by the multiplexer and having an output coupled to one of the first plurality of single-mode optical fibers to inject the amplified one WDM optical signal into that single-mode optical fiber; and a tapered fiber bundle (TFB) coupled to the first plurality of single-mode optical fibers, the TFB including a second plurality of fused single-mode optical fibers correspondingly coupled to the first plurality of single-mode optical fibers at a first end of the TFB, the second plurality of fused single-mode optical fibers capable to receive the WDM optical signals from the first plurality of single-mode optical fibers at the first end and to provide the WDM optical signals to a free space optical communication path at a second end.