An optical tap based on the twin waveguide laser-amplifier with asymmetric flared output waveguides

An optical tap based on the twin waveguide laser-amplifier with asymmetric flared output waveguides is presented. The new optical tap exhibits gain, allows the tap channel gain to be electrically controlled over a dynamic range of 30 dB, without greatly affecting the through channel gain and is optically broadband. The general features of the optical tap can be understood from coupled mode theory. >