WDM is currently taking over as the leading technology in point-to-point transmission links. For optical implementation of WDM networks, logical functionalities such as wavelength (channel) selection should be carried out in the wavelength domain; thus, the development of dynamic optical devices is required. One key device is a tunable optical filter. Important features of such a filter include low insertion loss, narrow bandwidth, high sidelobe suppression, large dynamic range, fast tuning speed, a simple control mechanism, small size, and cost effectiveness. Here, an extensive overview of the different technologies used to produce tunable optical filters is presented. Among them, fiber filters such as fiber Bragg gratings and fiber Fabry Perot are the most commercialized, yet inherently limited in their dynamic speeds. For high demanding dynamics, micro-machined and acousto-optic filters can offer a good solution for microsecond tuning speeds. Faster tunable devices, in nanosecond tuning speeds, might emerge out of microresonators, electrooptic filters, and active DBR filters.

Tunable optical filters for dense WDM networks

http://www.hit.bme.hu/~jakab/edu/litr/Core/WDM/WDM%20Technology_and_Applications_5-3.pdf

A Review of WDM Technology and Applications

Flexible microelectronics has shown tremendous promise in a broad spectrum of applications, especially those that cannot be addressed by conventional microelectronics in rigid materials and constructions. These unconventional yet important applications range from flexible consumer electronics to conformal sensor arrays and biomedical devices. A recent paradigm shift in implementing flexible electronics is to physically transfer highly integrated devices made in high-quality, crystalline semiconductors on to plastic substrates. Here we demonstrate a flexible form of silicon photonics using the transfer-and-bond fabrication method. Photonic circuits including interferometers and resonators have been transferred onto flexible plastic substrates with preserved functionalities and performance. By mechanically deforming, the optical characteristics of the devices can be tuned reversibly over a remarkably large range. The demonstration of the new flexible photonic systems based on the silicon-on-plastic (SOP) platform could open the door to many future applications, including tunable photonics, optomechanical sensors and biomechanical and bio-photonic probes.

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Flexible and tunable silicon photonic circuits on plastic substrates

Flexible microelectronics has shown tremendous promise in a broad spectrum of applications, especially those that cannot be addressed by conventional microelectronics in rigid materials and constructions1-3. These unconventional yet important applications range from flexible consumer electronics to conformal sensor arrays and biomedical devices. A recent successful paradigm shift in implementing flexible electronics is to physically transfer and bond highly integrated devices made in high-quality, crystalline semiconductor materials on to plastic materials4-8. Here we demonstrate a flexible form of silicon photonics on plastic substrates using the transfer-and-bond fabrication method. Photonic circuits including interferometers and resonators have been transferred onto flexible plastic substrates with preserved functionalities and performance. By mechanically deforming the flexible substrates, the optical characteristics of the devices can be tuned reversibly over a remarkably large range. The demonstration of the new flexible photonic system based on the silicon-on-plastic (SOP) material platform could open the door to a plethora of novel applications, including tunable photonics, optomechanical sensors and bio-mechanical and bio-photonic probes.

Tunable wavelength filters are demonstrated based on the thermo-optic refractive index change of the polymer waveguide with Bragg reflection grating. For the low-loss waveguide operating around 1.55 μm, fluorinated polymers are incorporated. Bragg reflection gratings are fabricated using a phase mask and a high-index polymer. The Bragg reflector exhibits a narrow bandwidth of less than 1.0 nm, a crosstalk of −20 dB, an insertion loss of 3.2 dB, and a flat-top passband. The peak wavelength of Bragg reflection is shifted over 11 nm with a slight insertion loss change. The thermo-optic tuning efficiency is 22 nm/W and the peak shift is linearly proportional to the heating power.

Tunable wavelength filters with Bragg gratings in polymer waveguides

We demonstrate a rapidly tunable narrowband wavelength filter using unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometers in lithium niobate. It is designed to switch among eight channels spaced 50 GHz apart in optical frequency (approximately 0.4 nm in wavelength) in less than 50 ns. The insertion loss is 19 dB and crosstalk is less than -22 dB. The filter consists of a cascade of three electrooptically tunable unbalanced Mach-Zehnders and a feedback circuit to keep the filter centered on the desired wavelength.

E.W. Miles

Papers

Rapidly tunable narrowband wavelength filter using LiNbO/sub 3/ unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometers