Patent ID: 8233216

Claim:
An optical amplifier comprising: a gain medium of an optical amplifier, the gain medium adapted to receive a first optical signal comprising a first plurality of optical signal wavelengths; a first pump source coupled to the gain medium during a first period and adapted to introduce at least a first pump comprising one or more first pump wavelengths to the gain medium, wherein the first pump amplifies the first optical signal during the first period; and a second pump source coupled to the gain medium at a second period that is later in time than the first period, the second pump source adapted to introduce at least a second pump comprising one or more second pump wavelengths to the gain medium such that both the first pump source and the second pump source are coupled to the gain medium during the second period, at least one of the one or more second pump wavelengths being different than any of the one or more first pump wavelengths, the second pump at least assisting in the amplification of a second optical signal during the second period, the second optical signal comprising a second plurality of optical signal wavelengths, at least one of the second plurality of optical signal wavelengths being different than all of the first plurality of optical signal wavelengths such that the second pump source assists the first pump source in expanding bandwidth of the optical amplifier in the second period as compared to the first period during which the first pump source operates without the second pump source.