An object of the invention is to realize a gain monitoring method for an
optical amplifier and an apparatus thereof, capable of detecting a gain
for a signal light regardless of a noise light generated inside the
optical amplifier. To this end, in the gain monitoring method according
to the present invention, a part of a signal light input to an optical
amplifier is branched as an input monitor light, and the input monitor
light is modulated, and also a part of a light output from the optical
amplifier is branched as an output monitor light, so that the modulated
input monitor light and the output monitor light are multiplexed. Then,
the multiplexed light is converted into an electrical signal, an
interference component contained in the electrical signal is extracted,
and a gain for the signal light in the optical amplifier is detected
based on the interference component.