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Apparatus for adjusting channel width of multi-channel fiber amplifier light source

Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
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Filing: 1995-06-26
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Granted: 1996-10-15
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Expires: 2015-06-26
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Abstract

Abstract An apparatus for adjusting the channel width of a multi-channel fiber amplifier light source, including an erbium-doped optical fiber amplifier constructed to generate a spontaneously emitted, amplified noise beam under a condition that no optical signal is applied thereto, the amplifier being used as a light source for wavelength division multiplexing, namely, a fiber amplifier light source. By the angle-turned Fabry-Perot etalon filter and the fiber-optic beam expander, the channel width can be easily controlled without affecting the free spectral range and the power of output light.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jae S. Lee
  • 👤 Chang S. Shim

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 06:38
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/29; H04B10/291; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/063; H01S3/067; H01S3/06795; H04B10/2912; H01S3/06754; H04B2210/00; H04B2210/003

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 213 words
An apparatus for adjusting the channel width of a multi-channel fiber amplifier light source, comprising: an exciting beam generator for generating an exciting beam; a first erbium-doped optical fiber for generating a spontaneously emitted, amplified noise light without input of a signalling beam thereto; a fiber-optic beam expander for expanding the light emerging from the first erbium-doped optical fiber through a lens to increase a cross-sectional width of the light, propagating the expanded light to a free space, and then concentrating the resultant light through another lens; a Fabry-Perot filter disposed in the fiber-optic beam expander, the Fabry-Perot filter being adapted to filter spectrums of the spontaneously emitted, amplified light passing through the free space, thereby forming channel width-controllable optical channels for wavelength division multiplexing; a second erbium-doped optical fiber for re-amplifying the spontaneously emitted, amplified light having spectrums which are fit for wavelength division multiplexing, thereby increasing an efficiency of the exciting beam; and a pair of signalling beam/exciting wavelength division multiplexers for mixing the exciting beams supplied from an optical coupler with signalling beams supplied from the first and the second erbium-doped optical fibers, respectively, the signalling beams having a different wavelength from that of the exciting beams, so that the resultant beams travel in the corresponding erbium-doped optical fibers, respectively.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 213 words
An apparatus for adjusting the channel width of a multi-channel fiber amplifier light source, comprising: an exciting beam generator for generating an exciting beam; a first erbium-doped optical fiber for generating a spontaneously emitted, amplified noise light without input of a signalling beam thereto; a fiber-optic beam expander for expanding the light emerging from the first erbium-doped optical fiber through a lens to increase a cross-sectional width of the light, propagating the expanded light to a free space, and then concentrating the resultant light through another lens; a Fabry-Perot filter disposed in the fiber-optic beam expander, the Fabry-Perot filter being adapted to filter spectrums of the spontaneously emitted, amplified light passing through the free space, thereby forming channel width-controllable optical channels for wavelength division multiplexing; a second erbium-doped optical fiber for re-amplifying the spontaneously emitted, amplified light having spectrums which are fit for wavelength division multiplexing, thereby increasing an efficiency of the exciting beam; and a pair of signalling beam/exciting wavelength division multiplexers for mixing the exciting beams supplied from an optical coupler with signalling beams supplied from the first and the second erbium-doped optical fibers, respectively, the signalling beams having a different wavelength from that of the exciting beams, so that the resultant beams travel in the corresponding erbium-doped optical fibers, respectively.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 68 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: optical isolators respectively disposed between one of the signalling beam/exciting wavelength division multiplexers and the fiber-optic beam expander, between the fiber-optic beam expander and the other signalling beam/exciting and between the second erbium-doped optical fiber and an output terminal of the apparatus, each of the optical isolators being adapted to allow the signalling beams to travel in one direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: an optical coupler for dividing the exciting beam outputted from the exciting beam generator into two beams to travel along different paths, respectively.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5361161A Cited
US5436760A Cited

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