Patent ID: 7440650

Claim:
A wavelength dispersive device comprising: a first planar lightwave circuit (PLC) chip comprising: an input port for launching an input optical signal including a plurality of wavelength channels; an input arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) structure for dispersing the plurality of wavelength channels including: an input slab waveguide region optically coupled to the input port, a first array of channel waveguides, extending from the input slab waveguide region, and an input/output slab waveguide region for guiding the dispersed wavelength channels between the first array of channel waveguides and a first edge of the first PLC chip, wherein an interface between the first array of channel waveguides and the input/output slab waveguide region is curved providing optical power, which focuses the wavelength channels along a curved focal plane outside of the PLC chip; a first plurality of output AWG structures for combining selected wavelength channels into output optical signals, each output AWG structure including: the input/output slab waveguide region for guiding the dispersed wavelength channels from the first edge of the first PLC chip; a second array of channel waveguides extending from the input/output slab waveguide region, and a first output slab waveguide region for guiding the output optical signals between the second array of channel waveguides to a second edge of the PLC chip, wherein an interface between the second array of channel waveguides and the input/output slab waveguide region is curved providing optical power; and a first plurality of output ports for outputting the output optical signals; a first array of switching elements for independently redirecting each of the wavelength channels from the first input optical signal to selected first output arrayed waveguide grating structures forming the output optical signals for output respective first output ports; and a field lens between the first edge of the PLC chip and the first array of switching elements for changing the focal plane of the wavelength channels from the curved line to along a straight line defining the first array of switching elements.