Alcatel

Anatolic Lupu

Alain Carenco

The invention relates to an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer able to combine and/or separate at least two optical signals amongst n propagating at different wavelengths, characterised in that it comprises at least one central waveguide ( ) and two lateral waveguides ( ), each lateral waveguide ( and ) constituting with the central guide ( ) a pair of waveguides, each pair being disposed so as to allow a bidirectional evanescent coupling of an associated wavelength between the guides in each pair ( ) and ( ), the coupling being selective with respect to wavelength and assisted by at least one etched grating (&Lgr;), the said waveguides ( ) being designed so that the multiplexer/demultiplexer has a functioning independent of the state of polarisation of the signals. The present invention applies to optical filters and/or direct-access networks for a bidirectional communication in the 1.3&plusmn;&mgr;m window simultaneously with a video distribution at 1.5 &mgr;m.

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Cachan, France

Anatolic Lupu