Patent ID: 7589888
Filing Date: 2009-09-15
Classification: H01S,H04B

Abstract:
1. An optical amplifier comprising a rare-earth doped optical fiber or rare-earth doped optical waveguide serving as an amplification medium where at least one rare-earth ion has been doped in at least one of the core or clad, the rare-earth ions having three or more energy levels, the rare-earth doped optical fiber or rare-earth doped optical waveguide being configured such that when the ions are excited, an ion density of at least three of the three or more energy levels cannot be approximated to zero; an excitation means for exciting the amplification medium; and a plurality of optical resonators that causes laser oscillation at a plurality of wavelengths of amplified spontaneous emission light produced in the amplification medium, wherein a gain profile of the optical amplifier is maintained at a substantially constant value.