MXPA00010294A - Bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer/divider - Google Patents

Abstract

A bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer/divider for simultaneously multiplexing and dividing light is characterized in that an array of light waveguides includes a center waveguide provided on the boundary face between the array and a planar waveguide region at a position where light coming from a light waveguide array grid and incident on the planar waveguide region is focused, and light multiplexed into wavelengths through the center waveguide is inputted or outputted. In addition to the light waveguides, the center waveguide where multiplexed light is inputted or outputted is provided at such a position that the spectra outputted from the light waveguides are not influenced, and therefore division and multiplexing of light wavelength are simultaneously possible in the direction from one array of light waveguides to the other and in the opposite direction.

Description

MÜLTIPLEXOR AND BIDIRECTIONAL OPTICAL WAVE LENGTH OF BIDIRECTIONAL LIGHTING TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention is concerned with a bi-directional optical wavelength multiplexer and demultiplexer and with a bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer and demultiplexer that multiplexes and demultiplexes light.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In general, optical wavelength multiplexers / demultiplexers that utilize a trimmed wavelength grid (hereinafter referred to as AWG), which essentially apply the principle of the Mach-Zehnder Interferometer, multiplex and demultiplex the light using the phase difference. Figure 1 is a structural view of a conventional optical wavelength multiplexer and demultiplexer. With reference to Figure 1, a conventional optical wavelength multiplexer and demultiplexer includes N first arranged waveguides 100 connected to an optical fiber to receive light having different wavelengths, a first planar waveguide region (region of free space, slab waveguide or star coupler) 102 to distribute the received light, an AWG Ref: 124240 104 to allow the light of the first plane waveguide region 102 to have different phase differences, a second plane waveguide region 106 in which the light having different phase differences emitted from the AWG 104 they interfere with each other and land in different places on the opposite side according to the wavelength and M second waveguides 108 arranged to emit the light divided according to the wavelength. This operation of the optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer can be explained in a grid equation that describes the dispersion characteristics of an AWG that acts as a scatter grid with respect to the incident light. In the grid equation, the phase changes caused in the first plane waveguide region 102, the AWG 104 and the second plane waveguide region are summed and the sum of the phase changes satisfies the condition in which the interference occurs at the interface between the second waveguide region 106 and the second arranged waveguides 108. The grid equation is expressed with respect to the light received via an input waveguide as in equation 1 : ns d sen? + nc? L = m? (1) where ns denotes the effective refractive index of a plane waveguide region, nc denotes the effective refractive index of an AWG, d denotes the passage of an AWG, m denotes the diffraction order,? L denotes the difference in length between adjacent AWGs and? denotes the wavelength of the incident light. A central operating frequency? 0 is the wavelength when TETA is zero and is defined as in equation 2: nc? L = m? 0 (2) Equation 3, which describes a variation in angular dispersion, this is , a variation in the diffraction angle of light with respect to a change in wavelength, can be obtained from equation 1: d? _ m (3) d? This is, beams of light having different wavelength land at different angles on the second plane waveguide region of an optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer, according to equation 3. Thus, a guide of The output wave is connected at a site corresponding to the diffraction angle of light having a wavelength used in the second plane waveguide region and thus carries out the demultiplexing of optical wavelength with respect to the wavelength .

A general optic wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer using the structure of an AWG has a structure in which the left and right sides are symmetrical with each other, so that the same function is carried out independently of the direction of connection of the device. Also, in the general optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer that has a symmetric structure, the input and output waveguides have no difference in structure, such that an arranged waveguide can act as an input waveguide to an output waveguide according to the connection direction. This optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer can operate only in one direction at a time, such that there is a method to allow the optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer to operate having different channel ranges according to the connection state of the device by differentiating the intervals between the first and second arranged optical waveguides. However, this method is also the same as the conventional method in which an arranged waveguide acts as an input or output waveguide according to the connection direction of the device. Also, when this optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer is applied to a real system, it is commonly installed and used only in one direction. Accordingly, the manufacture of an optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer that can operate with the same characteristics of two-way operation can not be a necessary condition for designing an optimized device that satisfies a given specification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer that can simultaneously multiplex and demultiplex light by connecting a central waveguide at the interface between each flat waveguide region and a Optical waveguide arranged. To obtain the above objective, the present invention provides an optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer that includes an optical waveguide array having a plurality of optical waveguides, a flat waveguide region connected to the optical waveguide array. optical wave and an arranged waveguide grid connected to the plane waveguide region, wherein the waveguide array further includes a central waveguide formed at a site upon which the light transmitted from the guide grid of wave arranged to the plane waveguide region is focused on the interface between the optical waveguide array and the plane waveguide region and the multiplexed light with a plurality of wavelengths is received or emitted via the guide of central wave.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a structural view of a conventional optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer; Figure 2 is a structural view of a bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to the present invention; Figure 3 shows the central waveguide of Figure 3; Figure 4 shows a bidirectional optical wavelength demultiplexer using Figure 2; Figure 5 shows a bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer using Figure 2 and Figure 6 shows a bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer using Figure 2.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION With reference to Figure 2, an optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to the present invention includes a first waveguide array 202 having a first central waveguide 200, a first plane waveguide region 204, an arranged waveguide guide grid (AWG) 206, a second plane waveguide region 208 and a second waveguide array 212 having a second central waveguide 210. Here , the first central waveguide 200 is formed at the focus (Fl) on the interface between the first waveguide array 202 and the first plane waveguide region 204. The Fl focus is in a location on the first plane wave guide region 204 wherein the light of the AWG 206 is focused. The second central waveguide 210 is formed at the focus (F2) on the interface between the second plane waveguide region 208 and the second waveguide array 212. The focus F2 is a site on the second guide region of flat wave 208 where the light of the AWG 206 is focused. Figure 3 shows the relationship between the central waveguide and the flat waveguide region of Figure 2. Here, the reference number 300 is an AWG, the reference number 304 is a flat waveguide region, the reference number 306 is an optical waveguide array having 8 waveguides, the reference number 308 is a central waveguide formed at the focus F2 and the reference number 302 denotes the interface between the AWG 300 and the plane waveguide region 304. The interval between the optical waveguides connected to a plane waveguide region denotes the range of the wavelengths of an output spectrum. The central waveguide, which is the feature of the present invention, must be connected to a site that is independent of the sites corresponding to the wavelengths of the light transmitted by a plurality of optical waveguides that carry out a general multiplexing / demultiplexing function. Here, the central waveguide is connected to the substantial focus on a flat waveguide region. Figure 4 illustrates an example in which a bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to the present invention operates as a bidirectional optical wavelength demultiplexer. When the light having a wavelength of? -jo -? J is input to the first central waveguide 200 in the first waveguide array 202 and simultaneously the light having a wavelength of? -, 0 -? J7 is input to the second central waveguide 210 in the second waveguide array 212, the light having a wavelength of X-or ~] 7 is emitted via the other wavelengths in the second waveguide array 212 and light having a wavelength of? -, or ~? -, is emitted via the other waveguides in the first waveguide array 202. That is, when the light multiplexed having several wavelengths is received via the central waveguide formed with each of the first and second waveguides arranged, the light received via the central waveguide within an arranged waveguide is demultiplexed by the lengths of wave and emitted via a plurality of waveguides within an arranged waveguide opposite the arranged waveguide that has received the multiplexed light. To be more specific, when the light having several wavelengths is received via the first central waveguide 200, the first flat waveguide region 204 distributes the received light and the AWG 206 allows the light beams of the first flat waveguide region 204 has different phase differences. The second plane waveguide region 208 causes interference between light beams having different phase differences, which are emitted from the AWG 206 and emits light beams of different wavelengths via different waveguides within the second array 212 Waveguide Also, when light having several wavelengths is received via the second central waveguide 210, lights of different wavelengths are emitted via different waveguides within the first waveguide array 202. When the waveguide guide The central wave in the bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to the present invention is used only as an input waveguide, it is preferable that an optical insulator be connected to the specialized input waveguide in order to prevent interference or loss of return due to the light emitted. Figure 5 illustrates an example in which a bi-directional optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to the present invention operates as a bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer. When light beams of different wavelengths? -, or ~? -, 7 are received by the waveguides (except for the first central waveguide 200) of the first waveguide array 202, they are multiplexed and emitted via the second central waveguide 210. Also, when light beams of different wavelengths? -, or - j7 are received by the waveguides (except for the second central waveguide 210) of the second waveguide array 212, are multiplexed and emitted via the first central waveguide 200.

Figure 6 illustrates an example in which a unidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to the present invention operates as a bidirectional optical wavelength demultiplexer. When light having different wavelengths? -, or -? J is received by the first central waveguide 200 of the first waveguide array 202 and light beams of different wavelengths? or -? 7 are received by the remaining waveguides, the light beams of different wavelengths? -, or ~? 37 are multiplexed and emitted via the second central waveguide 210 and the multiplexed light having different lengths of wave? 3o -? -, 7 is demultiplexed and emitted via the waveguides (except for the second central waveguide 210) of the second waveguide array 212. It is preferable that an output waveguide be selectively connected to an optical fiber in a packing step in order that this multiplexer / demultiplexer of bidirectional optical wavelength have different channel intervals in two directions. The configuration or design of variables of a conventional optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer can be used as those of the device in a fragmentation stage.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION FIELD As described above, according to an optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to the present invention, a central waveguide, through which the multiplexed light is received and emitted, is added together with a plurality of optical waveguides at a location where the output spectrum of these waveguides is unaffected, such that the multiplexed light can be demultiplexed in one direction from an optical waveguide array on one side to an optical waveguide array on the other side and simultaneously the demultiplexed light can be multiplexed in a direction opposite to the previous direction. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it relates.

Claims (8)

1. CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property: 1. An optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer, characterized in that it includes an optical waveguide array having a plurality of optical waveguides , a waveguide guide region connected to the optical waveguide array and an arranged waveguide grating connected to the plane waveguide region, wherein the optical waveguide array further comprises a guidewire central wave formed at a site over which the transmitted light from the waveguide grating arranged to the flat waveguide region is focused, over the interface between the optical waveguide array and the flat waveguide region and light multiplexed with a plurality of wavelengths is received or emitted via the central waveguide. The optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to claim 1, characterized in that an optical insulator to prevent an interference or return loss due to the emitted light is additionally connected to the central waveguide. 3. The optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: a second plane waveguide region connected to the arranged waveguide grating and a second optical waveguide array connected to the second planar waveguide region, wherein the second optical waveguide array further comprises a second central waveguide formed at a site over which the transmitted light from the waveguide grating arranged to the second guide region The flat waveguide is focused on the interface between the second optical waveguide array and the second plane waveguide region and the multiplexed light with a plurality of wavelengths is received or emitted via the second central waveguide. 4. An optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer, including a first optical waveguide array, a first planar waveguide region connected to the first optical waveguide array, an arranged waveguide array connected to the first planar waveguide region, a second planar waveguide region connected to the arranged waveguide grating and a second optic waveguide array connected to the second planar waveguide region, the device is characterized because the first optical waveguide array comprises: a specialized input waveguide formed at a site over which the transmitted light from the waveguide grating arranged to the flat waveguide region is focused, over the interface between the first optical waveguide array and the planar waveguide region and a plurality of specialized output waveguides for emitting light beams of a plurality of Wavelengths respectively, the second optical waveguide array comprises: a specialized input waveguide formed at a site over which the transmitted light from the waveguide grating arranged to the flat waveguide region is focused , on the interface between the second optical waveguide array and the plane waveguide region and a plurality of specialized output waveguides for emitting lightbeams of a plurality of wavelengths respectively, wherein a first beam of light multiplexed with a plurality of wavelengths is received via the specialized input waveguide of the first optical waveguide array and light beams of wavelengths obtained by demultiplexing the first multiplexed input light beam are emitted via the plurality of specialized output waveguides in the second optical waveguide array and a second multiplexed light beam with a p Wavelength lurality is received via the specialized input waveguide of the second optical waveguide array and wavelength light beams obtained by demultiplexing the second multiplexed input light beam are emitted via the plurality of waveguide guides. Specialized wave output in the first optical waveguide array. 5. The optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to claim 1, characterized in that an optical insulator to prevent an interference or return loss due to the output light is further connected to the specialized input waveguide in the first or second optical waveguide arrangement. 6. An optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer, including a first optical waveguide array, a first planar waveguide region connected to the first optical waveguide array, an arranged waveguide array connected to the first planar waveguide region, a second planar waveguide region connected to the arranged waveguide grating and a second optic waveguide array connected to the second planar waveguide region, the device is characterized because the first optical waveguide array comprises: a specialized output waveguide formed at a site over which the transmitted light from the waveguide grating arranged to the plane waveguide region is focused, over the interface between the first optical waveguide array and the planar waveguide region and a plurality of specialized input waveguides to receive the light beams of a plurality of wavelengths respectively, the second optical waveguide array comprises: a specialized output waveguide formed at a site over which the transmitted light from the waveguide grating arranged to the flat waveguide region is focused , on the interface between the second optical waveguide array and the planar waveguide region and a plurality of specialized input waveguides for emitting light beams of a plurality of wavelengths respectively, wherein the beams of light of wavelengths are received via the plurality of specialized input waveguides in the second optical waveguide array, respectively, and the multiplexed light obtained by multiplexing the input light beams of a plurality of wavelengths is emitted via the specialized output waveguide in the first optical waveguide arrangement and light beams of wavelengths are received via the plural specialized waveguide guidance in the first optical waveguide arrangement respectively and the multiplexed light obtained by multiplexing the input light beams of a plurality of wavelengths is emitted via the specialized output waveguide in the second arrangement of optical waveguide. 7. An optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer including a first optical waveguide array, a first planar waveguide region connected to the first optical waveguide array, an arranged waveguide array connected to the first plane waveguide region, a second plane waveguide region connected to the arranged waveguide grating and a second optical waveguide array connected to the second plane waveguide region, the device is characterized in that the first optical waveguide array comprises: a first central waveguide for receiving multiplexed light with a plurality of wavelengths, the first central waveguide formed at a site over which the transmitted light of the guide grid of wave arranged to the plane waveguide region is focused, on the interface between the first waveguide guide arrangement and the plane waveguide region and a plur In the case of specialized input waveguides for receiving light beams of a plurality of wavelengths, respectively, the second optical waveguide array comprises: a second central waveguide for emitting multiplexed light obtained by multiplexing received light beams via the plurality of specialized input waveguides, the second central waveguide is formed at a site over which the transmitted light from the waveguide grating arranged to the flat waveguide region is focused, on the one between the second optical waveguide array and the plane waveguide region and a plurality of specialized output waveguides for demultiplexing the multiplexed light received via the first central waveguide in the first guide array of optical wave, according to the wavelength and emit the beams of demultiplexed light of a plurality of wavelengths. The optical wavelength multiplexer / demultiplexer according to claim 7, characterized in that an optical insulator to prevent interference or return loss due to the emitted light is further connected to the first central waveguide.