Abstract

The demand for high-capacity communications networks has stiinulated renewed interest in transparent multiwavelength networks, in which light signals trave1 from source to destination through a sequence of intermediate nodes without intermediate optoelectronic conversion. Because of the large losses in such a network, large optical-amplifier cascades will be needed. And although single-wavelength fiber-amplifier cascades have moved toward maturity with astonishing speed, it is not at all clear how to build multiwavelength amplifier chains that will support the needs of a large, reconfiguring lightwave network.

© 1994 Optical Society of America