Dispersion-Free SOI Interleaver for DWDM Applications

• Published in: Journal of lightwave technology Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 140 - 146
• Main Authors: Bhatt, G. R., Sharma, R., Karthik, U., Das, B. K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.01.2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Directional couplers; Dispersion; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Information, signal and communications theory; Integrated optics; Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides; interleaver; Multiplexing; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; optical communications; Optical fiber communications; Optical losses; Optical telecommunications; Optical waveguides; Photonics; Signal and communications theory; silicon photonics; silicon-on-insulator (SOI); Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; waveguide; Wavelength division multiplexing; Integrated optics; Prototype; Interlacing; Optical telecommunication; Channel structure; Mach Zehnder interferometer; Wavelength division multiplexing; optical communications; Spacing; Waveguide; Dispersion; silicon-on-insulator (SOI); Silicon on insulator technology; Single mode waveguide; interleaver; Optical fiber communication; Passband; silicon photonics
• ISSN: 0733-8724; 1558-2213
• DOI: 10.1109/JLT.2011.2177443

Integrated optical asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer-based dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) channel interleaver structures (2 × 2) have been theoretically studied using various single-mode waveguide geometries in silicon-on-insulator platform. Subsequently, a dispersion-free interleaver design has been proposed, fabricated, and characterized. It was designed to separate alternate DWDM channels with 100 GHz spacings. Some of the fabricated prototype devices have been fiber pigtailed and packaged in a suitably designed metal housing. The transmitted spectra (1520 nm <; λ <; 1600 nm) at each of the output ports reveal that alternate DWDM channel wavelengths are separated with a uniform inter-channel extinction of ~ 18 dB. Each of the channel passbands shows their 3-dB bandwidth of ~ 40 GHz.