An apparatus is provided comprising a dual optical amplifier. The two
optical amplifiers are integrated, in that they share at a set of
optical, electrical, or opto-electrical components. The two optical
amplifiers may share a pump laser. Alternatively, the optical amplifiers
may share photo-detectors. Methods of controlling the signal strength of
output signals are also provided. A chip-based integrated optical dual
amplifier, using Erbium-Doped Waveguides, is also provided.