Patent ID: 7738165

Claim:
An amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) reflector-based gain-clamped fiber amplifier, comprising: a gain medium for amplifying an input optical signal at a clamped gain; a laser diode for supplying pump light to perform population inversion of the gain medium such that the optical signal is amplified through stimulated emission, and such that ASE propagating in the same direction as the pump light and having a different wavelength from the optical signal is emitted from the gain medium; a coupler for coupling the pump light to the gain medium; and a transmission and isolation unit configured so as to allow amplification across an entire C-band range, the transmission and isolation unit being configured to periodically transmit the amplified optical signal from the gain medium to output to the outside, isolate ASE propagating in the direction of pump light and having a different wavelength from the optical signal and reflect the ASE propagating in the direction of the pump light so that it propagates back to the gain medium and contributes to the gain.