1. A method for determining a power of an amplified spontaneous emission in an optical fiber amplifier for a WDM signal, wherein the optical fiber amplifier includes at least a first amplifier stage having a predetermined output power set for a measured input power, comprising:
determining from the output power a first mean inversion for the first amplifier stage, and
determining a first output power of the amplified spontaneous emission at an output of the first amplifier stage by reference to tabulated values which depend on the first mean inversion.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein:
for a second amplifier stage, connected in series after the first amplifier stage, a second predetermined output power is set for a known output power from the first amplifier stage and from this a second mean inversion determinable for the second amplifier stage,
for a gain which is constant across the two amplifier stages, and by reference to three tabulated values, which are dependent on one of the first mean inversion and the second mean inversion, a second output power is determined for the amplified spontaneous emission at one of the output from the first amplifier stage and an output of the second amplifier stage.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein
for a second amplifier stage connected in series after the first amplifier stage, a second predetermined output power is set for a known output power from the first amplifier stage, and from this a second mean inversion is determined for the second amplifier stage,
by reference to tabulated values which depend on at least one of the first and second mean inversions, a second output power is determined for the amplified spontaneous emission at the output of the second amplifier stage.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein
two tabulated values, to which the ASE powers at outputs of the first and second amplifier stage are proportional, are calibrated before the determination of the total power, and
a further tabulated value, to which the ASE power at the output of the second amplifier stage is proportional, is calibrated before the determination of the total power.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein
for a third amplifier stage connected in series after the second amplifier stage, a third predetermined output power is set for a known output power from the second amplifier stage, and from this a third mean inversion is determinable for the third amplifier stage (V3),
for a gain which is constant across the three amplifier stages and by reference to six tabulated values, four of which values are dependent on one of the mean inversions (\u03c7I, \u03c7II, \u03c7III) and two of which values are dependent on two of the mean inversions, a third output power is determined for the amplified spontaneous emission at an output of the third amplifier stage.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein
for a third amplifier stage connected in series after the second amplifier stage, a third predetermined output power is set for a known output power from the second amplifier stage, and from this a third mean inversion is determined for the third amplifier stage,
by reference to six tabulated values which are dependent on one to all of the mean inversions, a third output power is determined for the amplified spontaneous emission at an output of the third amplifier stage.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein three tabulated values, to which the ASE powers at outputs of the amplifier stages are proportional, are calibrated before the determination of a total power, and
two further tabulated values, to which in turn the ASE powers at outputs of the second and third amplifier stages are proportional, are calibrated before the determination of the total power, and
a last one tabulated value, which is proportional to a ratio of a power contribution from the second amplifier stage which is applied to the third amplifier stage to the total power, is calibrated before the determination of the total power.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein
when an optical fiber amplifier with more than three amplifier stages, further power contributions are determined for determining the total power of the amplified spontaneous emission of the optical fiber amplifier, and are added together to give total power values at the outputs of the individual amplifier stages.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein
all power contributions are determined using tabulated values which are saved in a precalibrated table.
10. The method of in claim 9, wherein
factors of proportionality between power contributions and the tabulated values, due to such system characteristics including at least one of attenuation values and overall gain values, are determined.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein
the tabulated values are regularly recalibrated, so that ageing or expansion effects in the optical fiber amplifier are taken into account.
12. (canceled)
13. (canceled)
14. (canceled)
15. (canceled)
16. An optical fiber amplifier comprising:
an amplifier stage;
a first power measurement facility coupled to an input of the amplifier stage; and
an arrangement for determining a mean inversion, coupled to the first amplifier stage and configured to use one of a second power measurement facility on an output side, and a preset gain controller,
wherein output signals from the first power measurement facility and from the arrangement for determining the mean inversion are fed to a table, in which calibrated values of the power values of an amplified spontaneous emission are stored.
17. An optical fiber amplifier with several amplifier stages, to the input of each of which is assigned a first power measurement facility, together with an arrangement for determining a mean inversion for the amplifier stage concerned, using at least one of a second power measurement facility on an output side of the amplifier stage a preset gain controller,
wherein output signals from the first power measurement facility and from the arrangement for the determination of the mean inversion are fed to a table, in which, for individual amplifier stages and power contributions which are involved between amplifier stages,
various calibrated values of power contributions for an amplified spontaneous emission, are stored, and wherein
a linear adder is coupled to the table, adding components of which are designed for the determination of a total power of the amplified spontaneous emission, arising at the output from the optical amplifier, from calibrated values selected from the table.
18. The optical fiber amplifier of claim 17, wherein
the linear adder has a multiplier which weights each addition components from the table with system-dependent factors including attenuation values and constant gain values.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A flexible solar cell, comprising:
a flexible transparent substrate; and
a plurality of solar cell units attached to the flexible transparent substrate and space from each other, thereby defining light-transmitting areas on the flexible transparent substrate among the solar cell units, allowing light to transmit therethroug.
2. The flexible solar cell of claim 1, wherein each of the solar cell units comprises a working electrode; each of the working electrodes comprises a conductive substrate and a semiconductor layer coated on and in direct contact with the conductive substrate; the conductive substrates are secured to the flexible transparent substrate.
3. The flexible solar cell of claim 2, wherein the semiconductor layers consist essentially of a metal oxide.
4. The flexible solar cell of claim 3, wherein the metal oxide is one or more selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, tin dioxide, and zinc oxide.
5. The flexible solar cell of claim 2, wherein each of the working electrodes further comprises photosensitive dye absorbed on the semiconductor layers.
6. The flexible solar cell of claim 2, wherein the conductive substrates are secured to the flexible transparent substrate by adhesive.
7. The flexible solar cell of claim 2, further comprising a transparent and patterned electrode layer formed on the flexible transparent substrate, the conductive substrates are electronically connected to the transparent and patterned electrode layer.
8. The flexible solar cell of claim 7, wherein the transparent and patterned electrode layer is made of a transparent and electro-conductive material selected from a group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, aluminum oxide doped zinc, gallium oxide doped zinc oxide, carbon nanotubes, and Mg(OH)2\u2014C.
9. The flexible solar cell of claim 7, wherein each of the solar cell units further comprises a transparent counter electrode and an electrolyte between the working electrode and the transparent counter electrode; the transparent counter electrodes are electronically connected to the transparent and patterned electrode layer.
10. The flexible solar cell of claim 2, wherein conductive substrates comprise metal or alloy.
11. The flexible solar cell of claim 1, wherein the flexible transparent substrate is made of plastic or glass.
12. A method for manufacturing a flexible solar cell, comprising:
preparing a plurality of solar cell units;
providing a flexible transparent substrate; and
securing the plurality of solar cell units to the flexible transparent substrate, space from each other, wherein the plurality of solar cell units thereby defining light-transmitting areas on the flexible transparent substrate among the solar cell units, allowing light to transmit therethroug.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein preparing the solar cell units comprises:
providing a plurality of conductive substrates;
preparing a colloidal paste comprising a metal oxide, a solvent, and an organic binder;
applying the colloidal paste to a surface of each of the conductive substrates; and
heating the conductive substrates coated with the colloidal paste to sinter the metal oxide, thereby removing the solvent and the organic binder and creating a semiconductor layer on each of the conductive substrates.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the conductive substrates are made of metal or alloy.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the flexible transparent substrate has a transparent and patterned electrode layer formed thereon, the conductive substrates are electronically connected to the transparent and patterned electrode layer.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the transparent and patterned electrode layer is made of a transparent and electro-conductive material selected from a group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, aluminum oxide doped zinc, gallium oxide doped zinc oxide, carbon nanotubes, and Mg(OH)2\u2014C.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the metal oxide is one or more selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, tin dioxide, and zinc oxide.
18. The method of claim 12, wherein the solar cell units are secured to the flexible transparent substrate by an adhesive.
19. The method of claim 12, wherein the solar cell units are arranged in an array.