We demonstrate a monolithic high-performance reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) with integrated 24/spl times/8 wavelength selecting optical cross-connect. Eight of the 24/spl times/100 GHz WDM channels may be dropped to any of 8 wavelength-independent drop ports.

We describe a wide range of reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer architecture designs that may be implemented in standard silica-on-silicon planar lightwave circuits. This proven, reliable technology offers high performance and cost-effective solutions for reducing complex service provisioning in reconfigurable optical networks. Recent advances enable very flexible wavelength routing devices for mesh- and ring-based networks to be implemented on a common subsystem integration platform. We show excellent system performance at 10 Gb/s.

We describe the wide range of wavelength switching functions that may be implemented in standard silica-on-silicon waveguide technology. This proven, reliable technology offers high performance and cost-effective solutions for reducing complex service provisioning in reconfigurable optical networks.

We describe dense wavelength-division-multiplexing (DWDM) operation of a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer subsystem module employing silica waveguide technology that is suitable for use with both fixed-wavelength and wavelength-selectable add-drop transceivers. We illustrate its use in providing modular growth in high channel-count DWDM systems.

We describe the implementation of various ROADMs in standard silica-on-silicon waveguide technology for use in optical transmission systems. This robust, proven, technology offers cost-effective solutions for reconfigurable networks, supporting flexible provisioning, in-service rearrangement, and modular growth.

We report an 8/spl times/8 strictly nonblocking optical cross connect (OXC) using multimode imaging (MMI)-based generalized Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometers realized in the silica-on-silicon planar waveguide system. Employing a router-selector architecture, this MMI-MZ OXC design results in a significantly smaller device than conventional directional-coupler based implementations. An average insertion loss of 6 dB and crosstalk of -34 dB, is demonstrated for the 8/spl times/8 OXC.

WDM operation of a novel monolithically-integrated 16-channel reconfigurable add-drop multiplexer (ROADM), demonstrating high crosstalk suppression and cascadability to eight nodes for 10 Gbit/s NRZ signals, is reported. The device provides separate wavelength add/drop ports and a common wavelength-multiplexed add/drop port for high system functionality.

Successful athermalisation of a silica arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) multiplexer using compensating longitudinal strain is reported. Peak wavelength shift of <0.04 nm is recovered over 5-70degreesC in a 40 x 100 GHz device, representing a 95% reduction on standard silica AWGs, without introduction of birefringence or compromise of optical crosstalk.

The realisation of a monolithic athermalised variable-optical-attenuator-integrated multiplexer (VMUX) implemented in silica-on-silicon waveguide technology is reported. The VMUX incorporates an athermal arrayed waveguide grating, providing <0.05 nm of peak transmission wavelength shift over 20-70 degrees C operating ambient independent of attenuator settings.

We demonstrate high-performance operation of a novel, monolithically integrated reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM). The 16-channel device provides flexible functionality enabling a variety of network applications. High-isolation performance and cascadability of eight ROADM nodes is shown

A high performance 16-channel integrated optical add-drop multiplexer is described. The device offers both common wavelength and discrete wavelength add and drop ports for all channels. Insertion loss is less than 6 dB and the isolation is greater than 40 dB.

A 4 x 4 strictly non-blocking optical cross-connect fabricated in silica-on-silicon waveguide technology using 1 x 4 MMI-based generalised Mach-Zehnder interferometers is reported. The loss of the switch is 2.8dB and the average crosstalk is 35dB.

We report a compact 8x8 strictly non-blocking optical switch using MMI-based generalised Mach-Zehnder interferometers fabricated in silica-on-silicon. The insertion loss of the switch is 6 dB and the crosstalk is 35 dB.

Tunable optical filters are needed for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical communication systems. We implement a tunable filter by making an etched cavity InGaAsP-InP waveguide to form a Fabry-Perot (FP) filter that can be tuned at high speed by electrical current injection. Basic device designs and experimental results of the FP filter will be presented.

Summary form only given. The talk will describe some of the optical performance needs of WDM networks and the component and signal monitoring requirements that these generate. Monitoring devices, both available and under development, will be discussed

Polarisation-independent arrayed waveguide filters using square waveguide cores are shown to be highly tolerant to variations in fabrication. Low birefringence and wavelength shifts are observed in devices fabricated in several different process runs

Summary form only given. We report a high-performance polarization-independent InP arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) filter employing a compact reflective geometry. Here, we show that square-core AWGs may be realized in a reflection geometry, and still provide high quality filtering. Successful use of a reflective AWG geometry will permit advanced AWG-based components to be made with smaller die-sizes.

We report the first polarization-independent monolithic WDM detector. 8 × 2nm channels, from 1.544μm to 1.558μm wavelength, were demultiplexed and detected by the compact 3.7mm × 4.0mm device without measurable polarization-sensitivity.