Abstract

Semiconductor laser amplifiers (SCLAs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to the potential of employing them as simple repeaters in fibre optic links, optical preamplifiers and in local area network type applications to compensate for insertion and power splitting losses [1], [2] and references therein. However, the versatility of the amplifier would be significantly increased if the amplifier could also perform a detecting function. This will permit this single device to perform a variety of functions such as simultaneously tapping and amplification of the data on a high speed fibre optic data bus, cf. [3], surveillance of input power and error rate in a repeater application and for signal extraction, self routing and feedback stabilization in photonic switching networks.

© 1989 Optical Society of America