Optical amplifier

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PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED : To provide an optical amplifier which uses an amplification medium doped with a common rare-earth element and is capable of controlling the gain profile constant, and a method of controlling the gain profile. SOLUTION : The optical amplifier includes a rare-earth-doped fiber or a rare-earth-doped optical waveguide as an amplification medium in which rare-earth-element ions are doped in its core and/or clad, an stimulation means for stimulating the amplification medium, one or more of a control light source that inputs a control light having a wavelength within the amplification band of the amplification medium to the amplification medium and is capable of controlling the population inversion in the amplification medium by varying the input power level, monitoring means for monitoring the optical power levels inputted to and outputted from the amplification medium, and a control unit that calculates the optical gain from the values obtained by the monitoring means and controls the control light source so that the optical gain coincides with a prescribed value or a value inputted from outside. A method of controlling the gain profile using the amplifier to hold it constant is also included. COPYRIGHT : (C)2004, JPO&NCIPI