SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED SEMICONDUCTOR OPTICAL AMPLIFIER ARRAY AND SWITCHING MATRIX

摘要

An optical amplifier array is integrated with a switching matrix with a tunable filter. As a result, switching and amplification can be performed in a common hermetic package, for example, thus offering advantages associated with small footprint and low cost. The optional integration of the tunable filter, with or without the switching matrix, further allows for the monitoring of the separate optical links to ensure the proper routing of signals and/or proper spectral slotting of the various channels in each of the WDM optical signals.