Smart Dynamic Wavelength Equalizer Based on an Integrated Planar Optical Circuit for Use in the 1550 nm Region

A microprocessor controlled dynamic wavelength equalizer is presented. The subsystem is based on an integrated optical circuit made in silica and covers a large portion of the usable region of the electromagnetic spectrum for optical fiber transmission (1530-1565 nm). The chip is connected in a software controlled feedback loop, and with its dynamic range of ~7 dB for each channel, the system is capable of flattening the spectral response of an erbium doped fiber amplifier to within 0.35 dB peak-to-peak. Insertion loss equals ~8 dB.