Importance

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Abstract

The invention relates to a method for amplifying an optical signal and to an amplifier unit (OFA) to which an optical input signal comprising a plurality of wavelength channel signals each at its dedicated wavelength is supplied. In the method, (a) demultiplexing is carried out to separate each wavelength channel signal from the input signal, (b) a first multiplexing is carried out, combining each separated wavelength channel signal with a separate pump signal, (c) each combination of a wavelength channel signal and pump signal is guided to its dedicated amplifier means (FA1 . . . FA4), and (d) the pump signals are separated from the amplified wavelength channel signals obtained from the amplifier means and a second multiplexing is carried out, combining the amplified wavelength channel signals into an outgoing WDM signal. To enable a solution based on several parallel amplifiers to be implemented in a simpler manner than heretofore, the same waveguide phased array component is used for processing both the wavelength channel signals and the pump signals at the output end, input end or both ends of the amplifier unit. For the input end, this means that the demultiplexing of the input signal and the first multiplexing are carried out using the same waveguide phased array component (WGA1).

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First Claim