Optical amplifier for multi-core optical fiber

1. An optical device, comprising:

a first array of optical couplers located over a surface of a substrate such that the optical couplers of the first array are able to end-couple in a one-to-one manner to the optical cores of a first multi-core fiber having an end facing and adjacent to the first array and the surface;

a second array of optical couplers located over the surface such that the optical couplers of the second array are able to end-couple in a one-to-one manner to optical cores having ends facing and adjacent to the second array;

a plurality of optical waveguides being over the surface and connecting in a one-to-one manner the optical couplers of the first array to the optical couplers of the second array; and

a plurality of pump couplers, each optical waveguide having a pump coupler connected thereto between the ends thereof.

2. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein each pump coupler is adjustable to vary an amount of pump light inserted into the connected optical waveguide.

3. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of variable optical attenuators, each variable optical attenuator being located along one of the optical waveguides.

4. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of optical photodetectors, each optical photodetector being configured to receive a portion of light from one or more cores of one of said multicore fibers.

5. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more a pump light sources coupled to said pump couplers.

6. The optical device recited in claim 1 , wherein said optical couplers of the second array are laterally located over the surface to be able to end-couple in a one-to-one manner to the optical cores of a second multi-core fiber having an end facing and adjacent to the first array and the surface.

7. The optical device recited in claim 1 , wherein said optical couplers of said second array are edge facet couplers.

8. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein said optical waveguides are capable of amplifying light therein when optically pumped via the pump couplers.

9. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising an erbium-doped multi-core fiber end-coupled to said first array of optical couplers, said pump couplers being configured to couple pump light into said erbium-doped multi-core fiber.

10. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising a laser pump source being connected to said optical pump couplers and having an output wavelength suitable to amplify optical signals in the telecommunications C or L band by Raman amplification.

11. The optical device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of second optical waveguides being over the surface and connecting in a one-to-one manner the optical couplers of the first array to the optical couplers of the second array.

12. A method, comprising:

forming a first array of optical couplers located over a surface of a substrate such that the optical couplers of the first array are able to end-couple in a one-to-one manner to the optical cores of a first multi-core fiber having an end facing and adjacent to the first array and the surface;

forming a second array of optical couplers located over the surface such that the optical couplers of the second array are able to end-couple in a one-to-one manner to optical cores having ends facing and adjacent to the second array;

forming a plurality of optical waveguides being over the surface and connecting in a one-to-one manner the optical couplers of the first array to the optical couplers of the second array; and

forming a plurality of pump couplers, each optical waveguide having a pump coupler connected thereto between the ends thereof.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein each pump coupler is adjustable to vary an amount of pump light inserted into the connected optical waveguide.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming a plurality of variable optical attenuators, each variable optical attenuator being located along one of the optical waveguides.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming a plurality of optical photodetectors, each optical photodetector being configured to receive a portion of light from one or more cores of one of said multicore fibers.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising coupling a pump light source to said pump couplers.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein said optical couplers of the second array are laterally located over the surface to be able to end-couple in a one-to-one manner to the optical cores of a second multi-core fiber having an end facing and adjacent to the first array and the surface.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said optical couplers of said second array are edge facet couplers.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein said optical waveguides are capable of amplifying light therein when optically pumped via the pump couplers.

20. The method of claim 12 , further comprising locating ends of optical cores of an erbium-doped multi-core fiber proximate said first array of optical couplers such that the optical cores are configured to receive pump light from the optical couplers.

21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising coupling a laser pump source to said optical pump couplers, said laser pump source having an output wavelength suitable to amplify optical signals in the telecommunications C or L band by Raman amplification.

22. The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming a plurality of second optical waveguides over the surface that connect in a one-to-one manner the optical couplers of the first array to the optical couplers of the second array.