SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING NOISE FIGURE

摘要

One aspect of the invention includes an optical amplifier operable to amplif y a plurality of optical wavelength signals at least in part through Raman amplification. The amplifier includes an input operable to receive a plurali ty of wavelength signals and an output operable to communicate an amplified version of at least some of the plurality of wavelength signals. The amplifi er further includes a pump assembly operable to generate one or more pump signa ls and a gain medium operable to receive the plurality of wavelength signals an d the one or more pump signals and to facilitate amplification of at least som e of the plurality of wavelength signals. The amplifier has associated with it a noise figure having a shape varying as a function of wavelength. At least on e of the one or more pump signals is operable to have its power varied to selectively control the shape of the noise figure.