Pumping arrangements for arrays of planar optical devices

Claim 1

Apparatus comprising plural planar active optical devices, means including a single pumping source for simultaneously pumping said devices by coupling a pumping signal to said devices from said single pumping source, wherein each of said devices comprises an active region containing ions capable of being excited to a specified inverted level by said pumping source, means for coupling an optical signal into and out of said active regions, wherein said means for coupling an optical signal into and out of each of said active regions comprises planar waveguides respectively associated with said active regions, wherein each of said active regions comprises a waveguide section having a main longitudinal axis, a substrate having a substantially planar principal surface, a first cladding layer disposed on said principal surface, wherein said planar waveguides are disposed on said first cladding layer, and wherein said means for pumping said devices comprises a loop-configured planar waveguide having branches respectively disposed in coupling relationship to at least two of said active waveguide sections.