Patent ID: 7463411

Claim:
A fiber amplifier for amplifying an optical signal, comprising: a pump energy source configured to emit energy at a pump wavelength; an optical apparatus for transmitting the optical signal, the optical apparatus having a plurality of discrete portions, each discrete portion comprising a length of optical fiber and first and second components disposed at first and second respective locations and configured to substantially prevent energy having an intermediate wavelength in the discrete portion from entering another of the discrete portions of the optical apparatus; a plurality of waveguides, each waveguide coupled to the pump energy source and to one of the plurality of discrete portions of the optical apparatus, each waveguide configured to provide energy at the pump wavelength from the pump energy source to its corresponding discrete portion, thereby increasing an intensity of light at the discrete portion's intermediate wavelength in the corresponding discrete portion of the optical apparatus; wherein the intermediate wavelength of a first of the discrete portions is different than the intermediate wavelength of a second of the discrete portions; and wherein the pump energy source comprises a splitter configured to couple pump energy into the plurality of waveguides.