Patent ID: 6959150
Filing Date: 2005-10-25
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. A method for measuring in-band crosstalk in an optical amplifier, the method comprising: generating a modulated optical signal using an input modulator, the input modulator having an off-state and an on-state; measuring the extinction ratio of the input modulator; passing the modulated optical signal through the optical amplifier to obtain a first output optical signal; measuring a power level of the first output optical signal when the input modulator is in the off-state; attenuating the modulated optical signal by a factor equal to the extinction ratio of the input modulator to obtain an attenuated modulated optical signal; passing the attenuated modulated optical signal through the optical amplifier to obtain a second output optical signal; measuring a power level of the second output optical signal when the input modulator is in the on-state; and calculating the in-band crosstalk by subtracting the power level of the second output optical signal from the power level of the first output optical signal.