公开(公告)号：CA2216793A1

公开(公告)日：1997-01-03

申请号：CA2216793

申请日：1996-06-10

Applicant: OPTICAL CORP OF AMERICA

Inventor： STUPIK PAUL ,  SCOBEY MICHAEL A

IPC: C23C14/08 ,  C23C14/35 ,  G02B5/28 ,  G02B6/293 ,  G02B6/34 ,  G02B26/00 ,  H01S5/40 ,  H04J14/02

Abstract: An optical multiplexing device spatially disburses collimated light from a fiber optic waveguide into individual wavelength bands, or multiplexes such individual wavelength bands to a common fiber optic waveguide or other destination. The optical multiplexing device has application for dense channel wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems for fiber optic telecommunications, as well as compact optical instrument design. Multiple wavelength light traveling in a fiber optic waveguide is separated into multiple narrow spectral bands directed to individual fiber optic carriers or detectors. An optical block has an optical port for passing the afor esaid multiple wavelength collimated light, and multiple ports arrayed in spaced relation to each other along a multiport surface of the optical block. A continuous, variable thickness, multicavity interference filter (22) extends on the multiport surface (20) of the optical bl ock over the aforesaid multiple ports. At each of the multiple ports the continuous interference filter transmits a different sub-rang e of the multiple wavelength light passed by the optical port, and reflects other wavelengths. Multicolor light passed to the opt ical block from the optical port is directed to a first one of the multiple ports on an opposite surface of the optical block. The wavelengt h sub-range which is "in-band" of such first one of the multiple ports is transmitted through that port by the local portion of the cont inuous, variable thickness interference filter (22) there, and all other wavelengths are reflected. The light not transmitted through the first port (16) is reflected to strike a second port, at which a second (different) wavelength band is transmitted and all other light again re flected. The reflected optical signals thus cascades in a "multiple-bounce" sequence down the optical block (10) of the multiplexing devic e, sequentially removing each channel of the multiplexed signal. In reverse operation, individual channels are combined in the optical bl ock and transmitted through the optical port.