Patent · US Expired

Wavelength division optical multiplexing elements

US5457760A · kind A · utility

98Cited by
18References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 6, 1994
Grant dateOct 10, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 6, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04J14/0307
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) using arrays of optical filtering elements to create a desired wavelength passband in an optical filter. In one aspect of the invention, an optical demultiplexer is formed using an input waveguide, such as a planar waveguide or an optical fiber, coupled to plural output waveguides. Each output waveguide includes a wavelength selective configuration of optical filtering elements formed within a contiguous portion of the waveguide forming an optical channel-selective filter having spectral regions having an optical transmission passband and spectral regions of low transmissivity. Exemplary optical filtering elements are Bragg gratings formed into an optical filter which transmits a characteristic wavelength band.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.