Amplified integrated star couplers with zero loss

It is shown that it is possible to compensate for the approximately 17 dB splitting and excess loss of a 19*19 integrated star coupler with erbium-doped fibers (EDFs) connected to the output channels. The amplifier fibers are pumped to near-quantum-limited noise performance using only one laser source at 0.98 mu m, which is connected to one of the input ports and is distributed to the EDFs through the star itself. The integrated star coupler´s near-wavelength-independent performance is able to transmit both the pump light at 0.98 mu m and the signal at 1.55 mu m with a loss differential on the order of only 1 dB.<>