Compact single-chip VMUX/DEMUX on the silicon-on-insulator platform

We demonstrate a compact, single-chip 40-channel, dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) variable attenuator multi/demultiplexer (VMUX/DEMUX) by monolithic integration of an echelle grating and high-speed p-i-n VOA on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. The demonstrated device has a flat-top filter shape, on chip loss of 5.0dB, low PDL of 0.3dB after compensation of the polarization dependent frequency (PDF) shift, a fast attenuation response speed of 3MHz, and an area of only 25mm by 10mm. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America