An optically amplifying waveguide that can have a gain having a small
wave-length dependency in a wavelength range shorter than the C-band, and
the like. The optical amplifier module 1 optically amplifies a signal
lightwave that has a wavelength lying in a wavelength range of 1,490 to
1,530 nm and that has entered an input connector 11 to output the
optically amplified signal lightwave from an output connector 12. An
optical isolator 21, a WDM coupler 31, an Er-doped optical fiber (EDF)
50, a WDM coupler 32, and an optical isolator 22 are provided in this
order on a signal lightwave-transmitting path from the input connector 11
to the output connector 12. A pump source 41 connected to the WDM coupler
31 and a pump source 42 connected to the WDM coupler 32 are also
provided. In the EDF 50, at least one of the stimulated-emission cross
section and the absorption cross section assumes a maximum value at the
shorter-wavelength side of a peak at a wavelength range of 1.53 .mu.m.