Automatic gain-controlled bidirectional add-drop amplifier for dynamically reconfigurable bidirectional WDM networks

An automatic gain-controlled bidirectional add-drop amplifier (BADA) has been realized by incorporating pumpcontrolled bidirectional and unidirectional EDFAs. By using the BADAs, we demonstrate a dynamically reconfigurable bidirectional wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) ring network. The BADA enables dynamic add-drops of wavelength-interleaved bidirectional signals and protects surviving signals against the impairments induced by dynamic network reconfigurations.