Patent ID: 6947656

Claim:
A variable optical attenuator with tunable wavelength selectivity comprising: at least two reflectors disposed parallel to each other at a predetermined angle from an optic axis, said optic axis being formed by aligning the optic axes of two optical waveguides or optical fibers in a substantially straight line; and driving units connected to said at least two reflectors for allowing the reflectors to move back and forth in a direction perpendicular or parallel to the optic axis or to revolve centering on an axis perpendicular or parallel to the optic axis, wherein the variable optical attenuator is installed between the optical waveguides or the optical fibers; and wherein a Fabry-Perot cavity overlaps with an optical path at a transmission area, light having a resonant wavelength satisfying a resonance condition is transmitted through the transmission area while light having a non-resonant wavelength not satisfying the resonance condition is reflected at the transmission area, and the resonance condition is dependent on a distance between the reflectors.