OPTICAL AMPLIFIER

摘要

PURPOSE:To reduce the size of the optical amplifier and to put the amplifier in stable operation by equipping an optical multiplexing part with at least one coupling part consisting of two quartz waveguides. CONSTITUTION:The optical multiplexing part 10 is so constituted that at least one coupling part 14 consists of two quartz waveguides 12 and 13. Then exciting light emitted from an exciting light source 1 is made incident on the quartz waveguide 12 of the optical multiplexing part 10 from one end 12a. Signal light which is emitted by a signal light source 2 and propagated in an optical fiber 3 for transmission is made incident on the quartz waveguide 13 from one end 13a. The signal light after being propagated in the quartz waveguide 13 is coupled with the quartz waveguide 12 at the coupling part 14, so the exciting light and signal light are multiplexed and the composite light is made incident on an optical amplification part 5 through the other end 12b of the quartz waveguide 12. Consequently, an optical component is reduced in size and stable operation becomes possible.