Abstract

Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) has been proposed as a means of increasing the capacity of an optical network.¹ A key component for WDM systems is tunable optical filter. Among the most important performance requirements for such a device are low insertion loss, large tuning range, narrow transmission line-width, tuning speed, transmittance and linearity. Using a low-temperature, low-stress process that we recently developed,² we have fabricated surface-micro-machined Fabry-Perot tunable filters on double polished silicon wafers.

© 1996 Optical Society of America