Patent ID: 6339495
Filing Date: 2002-01-15
Classification: H04B,H04J

Abstract:
A wavelength add/drop multiplexed (WADM) amplified optical transmission node, comprising:an MinÃ—Nout port demultiplexer with Min&gE;1 and Nout>1; N add and/or drop signal propagation paths each having one end coupled to one of the Noutports; an optical amplifier having a gain medium located within at least one of the N add and/or drop signal propagation paths; and an NinÃ—Zout port multiplexer with Zout&gE;1, wherein another end of each of the N paths is coupled to one of the Zout ports; characterized in that, each optical amplifier includes an optical feedback resonant laser cavity coupled to the gain medium; and a power dependent loss element within each optical feedback resonant laser cavity which exhibits a decreasing loss as a function of an increasing incident laser light intensity into the power dependent loss element.