Patent ID: 7062122

Claim:
A wavelength-tunable add/drop device for adding or dropping n channels each having different center wavelength, comprising: a first multicavity variable optical filter having a top end defining a first light receiving surface and a bottom end defining a second light transmitting surface, said multicavity variable optical filter selectably operable to pass one channel through the light transmitting surface while reflecting n−1 other channels or to reflect one channel while passing n−1 other channels through the light transmitting surface, wherein the selection of the one channel to be passed or reflected depends upon a location where light is launched into one of the top and bottom ends of the first multicavity variable optical filter; and, a broadband optical reflector disposed within a region and between layers of the multicavity variable optical filter and disposed between and spaced from planes coincident with the first light receiving surface and second light transmitting surface, the broadband optical reflector having a reflectivity that will reflect all n channels of light.