Patent ID: 6016213
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
An apparatus for the measurement of optical amplifier noise figure and gain comprising:means for coupling a known part of the output power of an amplifier under test to a wavelength filtering means and the remaining part of said output power to lasing power elimination means,means for controlling the attenuation of light in a fiber to a known value,means for measuring optical power by converting the optical power to an electrical signal, andmeans for converting said electrical signal to a digital representation for further processing,wherein the output of the amplifier under test is made to enter said coupling means and the first output of said coupling means is directed into the wavelength filtering means, the output of said wavelength filtering means is directed into said attenuation means, the output of said attenuation means is directed back into the input of said optical amplifier under test, and the second output of said coupling means is directed into said lasing power elimination means and the output of the lasing power elimination means is directed into said means for converting the optical power into an electrical signal.