Patent ID: 7440172
Filing Date: 2008-10-21
Classification: H01S,H04B,H04J

Abstract:
1. An optical amplifier comprising: an amplifier input port for receiving external optical signals having wavelengths corresponding to a first predetermined communications band; an amplifier output port; a high energy pump laser for providing a pump signal at a predetermined pump wavelength to a high energy pump laser output port; a first length of doped fibre having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first length of doped fibre for transferring optical energy provided by an optical signal provided by the high energy pump laser at the predetermined pump wavelength to optical signals having wavelengths corresponding to the first predetermined communications band; a second length of doped fibre disposed in series with the first length of doped fibre and having a first end and a second end, the second length of doped fibre for transferring opticle energy provided by an optical signal provided by the high energy pump laser at the predetermined pump wavelength to optical signals having wavelengths consistent with the first predetermined communications band, the second end of the second length of doped fibre optically coupled to the amplifier output port; a coupler comprising a first coupler input port for receiving the high energy pump signal, the coupler optically disposed to support coupling of the high energy pump signal to each of the first length of doped fibre and the second length of doped fibre; and, a hybrid component comprising a hybrid input port and, a hybrid output port, the hybrid component disposed between the second end of first length of doped fibre and the first end of the second length of doped fibre, the hybrid component for propagating optical signals at the first predetermined communications band incident the hybrid input port, to the hybrid output port, the hybrid component for attenuating optical signals at the first predetermined communications band incident the hybrid output port, the hybrid component for propagating optical signals at the predetermined pump wavelength incident the hybrid input port to the hybrid output port, the hybrid input port optically coupled to the second end of the first length of doped fibre, the hybrid output port optically coupled to the first end of the second length of doped fibre.