Optical multiplexer\demultiplexer with input and output ports on a single side, and an optical transceiver implementing same

Abstract

A multi-channel transceiver, consistent with the present disclosure, includes a multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) device configured to be shared by, and support operations of, a multi-channel transmitter optical subassembly (TOSA) and multi-channel receiver optical subassembly (ROSA) within a single transceiver housing. The shared MUX/DEMUX device may be referred to herein as simply a shared AWG for ease of description and not for purposes of limitation. The shared AWG receives optical signals from a plurality of TOSA modules at different channel wavelengths via a plurality of mux input ports, and then combines the optical signals into a multiplexed optical signal, with the multiplexed optical signal being output via a mux output port. In addition, the shared AWG receives an optical signal having different channel wavelengths at a demux input port and separates channel wavelengths to be output via a plurality of demux output ports.