Patent ID: 6668117
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An arrayed waveguide grating optical multiplexer/demultiplexer comprising:a planar lightwave circuit in which a waveguide forming region is formed on a substrate; wherein: said waveguide forming region is comprised of: at least one optical input waveguide; a first slab waveguide connected to an output side of said at least one optical input waveguide; an arrayed waveguide connected to an output side of said first slab waveguide, and constituted by a plurality of channel waveguides which are arranged side by side and has different lengths of a set amount; a second slab waveguide connected to an output side of said arrayed waveguide; and a plurality of optical output waveguides connected to an output side of said second slab waveguide, and arranged side by side; at least one of said first slab waveguide and said second slab waveguide is separated at a cross separating plane intersected to a path of light passing through the slab waveguide so as to form separated slab waveguides; and wherein: said arrayed waveguide grating optical multiplexer/demultiplexer is further comprised of: a slide moving member for moving at least one of said separated slab waveguides along said cross separating plane, depending upon a temperature of the arrayed waveguide; and a positional shift suppressing member for suppressing an optical axis shift along a Z direction perpendicular to the planes of substrate of said separated waveguides by depressing said waveguide forming region; and wherein: a position depressing the waveguide forming region by said positional shift suppressing member is formed at such a position escaped from the optical axis of said separated slab waveguides.