Patent ID: 7209609

Claim:
A light source apparatus for use with wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical communication comprising: a broadband light source; a plurality of injection light sources; and a multiplexer/demultiplexer to (1) receive broadband light from the broadband light source, (2) provide spectrum-sliced light components to respective injection light sources, and (3) multiplex a plurality of optical signals from the injection light sources, wherein the multiplexer/demultiplexer includes a first waveguide to transmit the broadband light and multiplexed light with a plurality of wavelengths; a plurality of second waveguides each to transmit light with an associated one of the wavelengths; and a plurality of optical filters each to pass light with an associated one of the wavelengths, the pass wavelength of each optical filter being configured such that an insertion loss distribution of the optical filters at the wavelengths is similar to a gain distribution of the injection light sources at the wavelengths.