Silicon or semiconductor fiber optic amplifiers (SOA) function in a similar way to a basic laser. The structure is much the same, with two specially designed slabs of semiconductor material on top of each other, with another material in between them forming the 'active layer.’ An electrical current is set running through the device in order to excite electrons which can then fall back to the non-excited ground state and give out photons.  Incoming optical signal stimulates emission of light at its own wavelength.  SOA can be classified into two groups, Fabry-Perot Amplifiers (FPA) and Traveling Wave Amplifiers (TWA).  The difference is the reflectivity coefficient value of both mirror surfaces.

Optics and optical components covers all manner of devices that are used to manipulate or control light. These components either use electrical or electronic means to manipulate light, such as occurs with lasers, diodes, photomultipliers optoelectronic sensors, and fiber optic amplifiers, or they can force the manipulation via material means. This second grouping includes items such as lenses, filters, beam splitters, mirrors, diffusers, plates, prisms, and windows. A subgroup of this category is fiber optics. This grouping includes all products that are used to transmit light via transparent glass or plastic fibers. Items within the optics and optical components category fall into four loose families: light sources, optical components, optoelectronics, and fiber optics.

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