GB2139374A
Expired / Lapsed
GB
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Optical multiplexer/demultiplexer
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1984-04-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-04-19
Abstract
Abstract A diffraction grating wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer comprises a reflection-type diffraction grating (34), a lens (32), and a linear array of single mode optical fibres (31). An integrated optical, converging waveguide array (30) is inserted between the single mode fibres (31) and the lens (32). This achieves close packing of the channels and hence more efficient filling of the available bandwidth than is otherwise possible with single mode fibres owing to their small core-to-cladding ratio. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Alan Linke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
GB
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:45
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/12007; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/28; G02B6/293; G02B6/29304; G02B6/29305; G02B6/29307; G02B6/2931; G02B6/29379; G02B6/2938
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
An optical multiplexer or demultiplexer comprising: a linear array of single mode optical input/output fibres, a diffraction grating for selectively coupling optical wave energy between one of the fibres and the others of the fibres, a lens for focusing said coupled energy and an intergrated optic, converging waveguide array interposed between the fibres and the lens.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
56 words
An optical multiplexer or demultiplexer comprising: a linear array of single mode optical input/output fibres, a diffraction grating for selectively coupling optical wave energy between one of the fibres and the others of the fibres, a lens for focusing said coupled energy and an intergrated optic, converging waveguide array interposed between the fibres and the lens.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
A multiplexer or demultiplexer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the waveguide array comprises a plurality of waveguiding strips embedded in a substrate of lower refractive index and the distance between adjacent waveguiding strips decreases from a maximum at a first end of the waveguide array, adjacent to the fibres, to a minimum at a second end of the waveguide array, adjacent to the lens.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A multiplexer or demultiplexer as claimed in claim 2 including grooves extending into the substrate in the regions of the second end between adjacent waveguiding strips.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A multiplexer or demultiplexer as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the substrate is of an electrooptic material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A multiplexer or demultiplexer as claimed in claim 4 including means for modulating an optical signal included along waveguiding strips of the waveguide array.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A multiplexer or demultiplexer as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the propagation constants of adjacent waveguides in said array are unequal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
A multiplexer or demultiplexer substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A multiplexer or demultiplexer substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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