Patent ID: 8693088

Claim:
A transmission and amplification system, comprising: a multichannel transmission span including a length of a multicore transmission fiber having a plurality of individual transmission cores; a first tapered multicore coupler for providing connectivity between the plurality of transmission cores of the multicore fiber and a respective plurality of individual transmission leads; a fiber amplifier having a plurality of individual cores including at least one pump core and a plurality of amplifier cores; and a second tapered multicore coupler for providing connectivity between the amplifier cores of the fiber amplifier and a respective plurality of amplifier leads, and between the at least one pump core and a respective pump lead, wherein the plurality of individual transmission leads are connected to respective amplifier leads, such that individual cores of the transmission multicore fiber are connected to respective amplifier cores of the fiber amplifier, and wherein the pump lead is connected to a pumping light source, and wherein the fiber amplifier is configured to provide mode coupling between the at least one pump core and the amplifier cores, such that amplification is provided to respective light signals propagating through the amplifier cores.