Patent ID: 7394953

Claim:
An integrated optical decombiner circuit comprising: an unamplified waveguide input configured to be optically coupled to an optical fiber for receiving a WDM signal; an amplified waveguide input configured to be optically coupled to the optical fiber for receiving the WDM signal; an input free space region that interfaces with the unamplified waveguide input and the amplified waveguide input; a plurality of grating arms, coupled to the input free space free region; an output free space region coupled to the plurality of grating arms, the output free space region having a plurality of waveguide outputs, each of the plurality of waveguide outputs supplying a corresponding one of a plurality of optical signals, each of the plurality of optical signals having a corresponding one of a plurality of wavelengths; and wherein the unamplified waveguide input is associated with a first plurality of demultiplexing paths through the optical combiner circuit and the amplified waveguide input is associated with a second plurality of demultiplexing paths through the optical decombiner circuit.