CHAPTER 5

OPTICAL DEMULTIPLEXERS

5.1 INTRODUCTION

The main function of an optical demultiplexer is to receive from a fiber a beam

consisting of multiple optical frequencies and separate it into its frequency com-
ponents, which are coupled in as many individual fibers as there are frequencies.
An optical multiplexer functions exactly in the opposite manner. It receives many
optical wavelengths from many fibers and converges them into one beam that is
coupled into a single fiber. There are two classifications of optical demultiplexer
devices, passive and active. Passive demultiplexers are based on prisms, diffrac-
tion gratings, and spectral (frequency) filters. Active demultiplexers are based on
a combination of passive components and tunable detectors, each detector tuned to
a specific frequency.

5.2 PRISMS

When a collimated (parallel) beam of polychromatic light impinges on one of the

prism surfaces (AB), each frequency component is refracted differently (Figure 5.1).
The output light from the other surface of the prism (AC) consists of the frequency
components separated from each other by a small angle. A lens focuses each wave-
length at a different point where receiving fibers are placed, one fiber for each wave-
length channel.

91
92 Part II Optical Components

Fibers at
the focal
points
Fiber
Figure 5.1 When a collimated beam of polychromatic light impinges on a prism surface, each wave-
length component is refracted differently.

5.3 SUPERPRISMS

Superprisms are prisms that consist of a material lattice known as photonic crys-
talline optics. Photonic crystalline optics, a relatively new field, uses an artifi-
cial structure with periodic dielectric that has been fabricated on Si by means of
nanotechnology. The periodicity of the crystalline lattice is three-dimensional,
and it is several tens of nm nanometers (reported at 180 nm) . This periodicity
forms a three-dimensionally periodic distribution of bands and gaps and, de-
pending on periodicity, an optical frequency range is defined within which opti-
cal frequencies (wavelengths) are permitted to propagate or the not.
Photonic crystalline structures may act as energy band-gap filters, that is,
filters that do not pass within certain energy range. They may also act as highly
disperssive structures. Photonic crystalline structures, formed like a prism, ex-
hibit much superior light dispersion characteristics (500 times higher) than con-
ventional prisms, hence are called superprisms.
Because photonic crystalline structures are very small solid-state units, they
find several applications, among which are inexpensive solid-state optical mul-
tiplexers and demultiplexers, lasers, optical waveguides, optical switches, and
optical interconnectors and couplers. In addition to solid-state materials, other
materials have been used on an experimental basis, including block copolymers
and polystyrene.

5.4 DIFFRACTION GRATINGS

When a polychromatic light beam impinges on a diffraction grating, each wave-

length component is diffracted and directed to a different point in space. A fiber
is placed at the focal points of each wavelength. Focusing the diffracted wave-
lengths may be achieved with a lens system or with a concave diffraction grat-
ing . The result is an N X 1 wavelength demultiplexer (Figure 5.2) .
Chapter 5 Optical Demultiplexers 93

Fibers
x, 1I::::=::=:~ ~::::::~='!)lf--J-.
A2 !=:~~== ~~::!.:~f--+'"

AN 1I::::======~ ~~~4--++-
Diffraction
Incident beam, Al + A2 + ... + AN grating
C:::::::ii:===:El:::~::r--lrt

Lens

Figure 5.2 When a collimated polychromatic light beam impinges on a diffraction grating, each wave-
length component is diffracted and directed to a different point in space.

5.5 ARRAYED WAVEGUIDE GRATING

Arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) are based on the principle of interferome-

try. Consider a fiber F carrying a multiplicity of wavelengths ~'1, A2, .. . , AN.
Let the light of all wavelengths from F shine in cavity S I, which is coupled to
an array of waveguides, Wlo . . ,WN ' The optical length difference of each wave-
guide introduces wavelength-dependent phase delays in cavity S2 where an array
of fibers is coupled. The phase difference of each wavelength interferes in such
a manner that each wavelength contributes maximally at one of the output fibers
(Figure 5.3).

AN
Figure 5.3 Arrayed waveguide gratings are constructed on the basis of the principle of in-
terferometry.
94 Part II Optical Components

The salient characteristics of AWGs are as follows.

AWGs are polarization dependent, but means to overcome this dependency

have been reported.
AWGs are temperature sensitive. To eliminate thermal drift, thermoelectric
coolers have been used as well as Si02 AWGs that pair silicon adhesives with
a negative thermal coefficient.
AWGs operating in the wide temperature range (0-85C) have been reported.
AWGs exhibit good flat spectral response; this eases wavelength control.
Insertion loss is in the under -3-dB range, and cross-talk level is better than
-35 dB.
AWGs are suitable for integration with photodetectors.

Si02 AWGs for 128 channels (wavelengths) with 250-GHz channel spacing
have been reported, as well as InP AWGs for 64 channels with 50-GHz channel
spacing. AWG devices belong to the category of phased-array gratings (PHASARS)
and waveguide grating routers (WGRs).

5.6 MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER

Interferometers can be based on the interferometric properties of light and the

Mach-Zehnder method. When two coherent light sources consist of more than one
wavelength, the regions of maxima and minima differ for each wavelength. These re-
gions for each wavelength may be calculated if the wavelengths, the phase of the sig-
nals, and the index of refraction are known. Thus, a mix of wavelengths may be sep-
arated to its component wavelengths.
Mach-Zehnder interferometers have been integrated on silica substrates along
with other components. One method for achieving integration is to combine flame
hydrolysis deposition and conventional photolithography followed by ion etching.
AWG and WGR filters are of the Mach-Zehnder type.

5.7 SPECTRAL FILTERS

Spectral filters positioned in the optical path can also be used to sort out wave-
lengths and thus can be used as demultiplexers. Two such applications are illus-
trated. One (Figure 5.4a) uses a filter sandwiched on the cleaved surface of a
fiber, and the other (Figure 5.4b) uses a filter embedded in a graded index rod
(GRIN) rod.
Chapter 5 Optical Demultiplexers 95

Filter

~
GRIN-rod
Fiber Fiber Fiber
(a) (b)
Figure 5.4 Spectral filters: (a) with a filter sandwiched on the cleaved surface of a fiber and (b) with a
filter embedded in a GRIN rod.

5.8 ACOUSTO-OPTIC FILTER PLUS POLARIZING

BEAM-SPLITTER

A combination of an all-pass polarizer, a (tunable) acousto-optic filter (AOF),

and a polarizing beam-splitter may be used to isolate a wavelength from a mix.
This arrangement is based on the principle that beam-splitters reflect one polar-
ization mode and refract another. It is also based on the principle that AOFs ro-
tate the polarization mode of a specific wavelength from transverse electric (TE)
to transverse magnetic (TM) . The operation of this demultiplexer is shown in
Figure 5.5.

TE (linearly A2 rotated
Circularly polarized polarized) from TE to TM

Figure 5.5 A combination of an all-pass polarizer, an acousto-optic filter, and a polarizing

beam-splitter isolates a wavelength ('-z) from a mix.

5.9 OPTICAL MULTIPLEXERS

In general, passive optical multiplexers consist of a multiplicity of input fibers car-

rying an optical signals at different wavelength. All wavelengths are focused on the
same focal point and are coupled into one output fiber. Most optical passive demul-
tiplexers may also be used as optical multiplexers. In this category are prisms (Figure
5.6) and gratings (Figure 5.7).
96 Part II Optical Components

Al
Multiplexed beam

Fiber Lens Prism Lens

Figure 5.6 A prism as an optical multiplexer.

Fibers

Multiplexed beam,
Al + A2 + + AN J-------t~~

Lens
Figure 5.7 A grating as an optical multiplexer.

EXERCISES

1. How many classifications of optical demultiplexer devices are there?

2. Could a prism be considered to be an demultiplexer? If so, what type is it?
3. A diffraction grating is an optical device that converts optical frequencies . True or false?
4. An AWG is based on the principle of interferometry. True or false?
S. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer receives two coherent light sources, one at wavelength >-1
and the other at >-2' Is it possible to guide each wavelength to a different output ?
6. Is it true that an AOF requires a specific radio-frequency signal to operate ?
7. What is the fundmental principle of AOFs?
8. If a polarizer, an AOF, and a polarizing beam-splitter are combined in cascade, what can
be potentially constructed ?