Analysis and Development of Fixed and Variable Waveband MUX/DEMUX Utilizing AWG Routing Functions

We develop and analyze a new waveband multi/demultiplexer that exploits the routing functions of arrayed-waveguide gratings (AWG). The device can accommodate multiple input/output fibers simultaneously and be implemented monolithically using silica planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technology. We analyze AWG port usage for variants of the proposed multi/demultiplexers. The important characteristic of the device, its coherent and incoherent crosstalk performance is investigated. A technique to reduce the crosstalk is presented. We extend the capability of the device so that the waveband bandwidth can be changed by adding small switches. Experiments confirm the excellent performance of the proposed waveband multi/demultiplexer.