Patent ID: 7200297

Claim:
A device, comprising: a virtually-imaged phased array (VIPA) with a plurality of transmission areas receiving/outputting light, receiving from an optical fiber an input light having different wavelengths via the transmission areas of the VIPA, dispersing the input light to produce output light angularly dispersed in a first plane at an angle based on the wavelengths of the input light and an interference order by multiple reflection in the VIPA; a lens collecting the output light generated by the VIPA; a mirror having a shape to allow application of almost uniform wavelength dispersion to the output light from the VIPA regardless of wavelength, returning the output light to the lens so that the output light of the interference order is returned to the VIPA with a returning angle in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane, the returning angle corresponding to a coupling efficiency with the optical fiber to flatten transmission wavelength characteristics, and the output light being returned to the optical fiber via the transmission areas of the VIPA.