A system for communicating supervisory information between amplifier nodes in an optical communication network utilizes modulation of an included pump source to superimpose the supervisory information on data signals (typically customer data signals) propagating between the amplifier nodes transmitted customer signals. The modulated pump appears as a modulated envelope on the amplified data signal exiting the amplifier node, and may be recovered by suitable demodulation components located at the second node (i.e., the destined receiver of the supervisory information). The supervisory information may include monitoring messages, provisioning data, protocol updates, etc., and is utilized as an input to an included modulator, which then forms a drive signal for the pump controller.

A driving and stabilization system for a pump laser, and a pump laser system. The driving and stabilization system includes a constant current stabilization device, a constant temperature stabilization device, a power detection device, an environment detection device, and a control device. The constant current stabilization device includes a voltage comparison circuit, a constant current driving circuit, and a switch protection circuit. The constant temperature stabilization device includes an internal constant temperature stabilization circuit and an external constant temperature stabilization circuit.

Provided is an optical amplifier, an optical relay and an optical communication system that can amplify signal light of a plurality of systems and that can realize a reduction in costs. This optical amplifier amplifies and outputs signal light of a plurality of systems, the amplifier including: a plurality of impurity-doped optical fiber amplification units; a plurality of excitation light sources; a plurality of excitation light demultiplexing units; a plurality of excitation light multiplexing/demultiplexing units; and a plurality of multiplexing units. The plurality of excitation light sources include at least a first excitation light source and a second excitation light source that are driven commonly by a first driving current, and a third excitation light source that is driven by a second driving current of a different system than the first driving current.

A system includes a laser system having a master oscillator and a planar waveguide (PWG) amplifier having one or more laser diode pump arrays, a pumphead, input optics, and output optics. The system also includes an optical bench and cooling manifold coupled to the pumphead. The optical bench and cooling manifold is configured to provide coolant to the one or more laser diode pump arrays and the pumphead through the optical bench and cooling manifold. The optical bench and cooling manifold is also configured to partially deform during operation of the laser system. A housing of the pumphead is coupled to the input and output optics to maintain optical alignment of the pumphead with the input and output optics.

An optical amplifier includes an input port for receiving an input optical signal;a wavelength division multiplexer (204) having a first input coupled to the input port, a second input coupled to a pump source (206), and an output coupled to an amplification fiber (208); and an integrated component (210) configured to provide output monitoring and isolation, wherein the integrated component (210) is configured to separate a first portion of a light signal received from the amplification fiber (208), direct the first portion to a photo detector, direct a second portion of the input light from the amplification fiber (208) to an output port, and attenuate light signals received from the output port.

A MOPA laser system that includes a seed laser configured to output pulsed laser light, an amplifier configured to receive and amplify the pulsed laser light emitted by the seed laser; and a pump laser configured to deliver a pump laser beam to both the seed laser and the amplifier and a variable attenuator configured to eliminate missing Q-switched pulses.

An optical communication link that includes two nodes interconnected by an optical channel that comprises optical fiber(s), and that is used to communicate an optical signal comprising multiple optical signal wavelengths. The first node provides an optical signal onto the optical channel towards the second node, or receives an optical signal from the optical channel from the second node. A Raman pump provides Raman pump power into the optical fiber of the optical channel to thereby perform Raman amplification of the optical signal in the optical fiber. The second node determines a quality measurement of at least of optical wavelength signals transmitted by the first node to the second node. The second node also transmits information from the quality measurement back to the first node. A controller at the first node controls at least one parameter of the Raman pump in response to this transmitted information.

Provided are a control method and system for a cascade hybrid amplifier, in which respective hybrid amplifiers in the cascade hybrid amplifier simultaneously start to implement a pump-starting process comprising: when the hybrid amplifier receives a request to start pumping, determining whether conditions are satisfied, if yes, determining stability of power of an input light of a Raman, starting pumping of an EDFA so that the EDFA enters into an APC operation mode; starting pumping of the Raman, and calculating a gain deviation according to the calculated input light powers before and after pump-starting of the Raman when no reflection alarm exists; and adjusting gain of the Raman according to the gain deviation, and switching to an AGC (automatic gain control) operation mode after the adjustment; and switching the EDFA to the AGC operation mode.

A system includes a master oscillator configured to generate a low-power optical beam. The system also includes a planar waveguide (PWG) amplifier configured to amplify the low-power beam into a high-power output optical beam, where the PWG amplifier has a larger dimension in an unguided direction and a smaller dimension in a transverse guided direction. The system further includes an adaptive optic configured to pre-distort the low-power optical beam substantially along a single dimension prior to injection of the low-power optical beam into the PWG amplifier in order to compensate for thermal-based distortions created by the PWG amplifier. The single dimension represents the unguided direction. In addition, the system includes a feedback loop configured to control the adaptive optic.

A system includes a master oscillator configured to generate a low-power optical beam. The system also includes a planar waveguide (PWG) amplifier configured to amplify the low-power beam into a high-power output optical beam, where the PWG amplifier has a larger dimension in an unguided direction and a smaller dimension in a transverse guided direction. The system further includes an adaptive optic configured to pre-distort the low-power optical beam substantially along a single dimension prior to injection of the low-power optical beam into the PWG amplifier in order to compensate for thermal-based distortions created by the PWG amplifier. The single dimension represents the unguided direction. In addition, the system includes a feedback loop configured to control the adaptive optic.