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 cove rs a large portion of the usable region of the electromagnetic spectrum for optical fiber transmission (1530-1565 mn). The chip is connected in a soft ware-controlled feedback loop, and with its dynamic range of similar to 7 d B for each channel, the system is capable of flattening the spectral respon se of an erbium-doped fiber amplifier to within 0.35-dB peak-to-peak. Inser tion loss equals similar to 8 dB.