Star couplers with gain using multiple erbium-doped fibers pumped with a single laser

An economical method for combining erbium-doped fiber (EDF) amplifiers and star couplers, is presented. It involves simultaneously pumping EDFs placed at the input or output ports of the coupler with a single laser pump source distributed through the coupler itself. In this way, many amplifiers can share the cost of a single pump laser, and the need for individual pump/signal combiners is eliminated.<
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