Patent ID: 6683721
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An interferometer with a predetermined free spectral range (FSR) comprising:a first port for launching an input beam of light; a first beamsplitter for splitting the input beam of light into a first sub-beam directed to follow a first optical path, and a second sub-beam directed to follow a second optical path; a first resonator, having a first effective cavity length, for receiving said first sub-beam and for directing said first sub-beam to a first interference location; a second resonator, having a second effective cavity length, for receiving said second sub-beam and for directing the second sub-beam to the first interference location for interference with the first sub-beam, thereby forming a first output signal comprising a first set of wavelength channels and a second output signal comprising a second set of wavelength channels; a second port for outputting the first output signal; and a third port for outputting the second output signal; wherein said first optical path and said second optical path have an effective optical path length difference approximately equal to one-half said first effective cavity length.