Patent ID: 6151157
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: H01S,H04B

Abstract:
An optical amplifier for amplifying substantially equally a plurality of component signals of a multi-wavelength optical beam transiting an optical network in which each component signal has an amplitude and a unique wavelength; the amplifier comprising:amplifying means for generating amplified component signals, the amplitude of each amplified component signal being respectively increased by a selected value;gain flattening means for selectively attenuating said amplified component signals according to a fixed attenuation versus wavelength characteristic to generate gain flattened component signals; andequalization means for receiving said gain flattened component signals and for generating therefrom equalized component signals from said gain flattened component signals, said equalized component signals having respective amplitude which are adjusted to remove any relative amplitude difference therebetween due to variations in the amplitudes of said component signals of the multi-wavelength optical beam, said equalization means including at least one wavelength tunable filter for selectively filtering at least one of said gain flattened component signals responsive to a wavelength tuning control signal.