Bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer/divider

Abstract

A bidirectional optical wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer capable of simultaneously performing light multiplexing and demultiplexing is provided. This optical wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer includes an optical waveguide array having a plurality of optical waveguides, a planar waveguide region connected to the optical waveguide array, and an arrayed waveguide grating connected to the planar waveguide region. In this device, the optical waveguide array further includes a central waveguide formed at a location on which light transmitted from the arrayed waveguide grating to the planar waveguide region is focused, on the interface between the optical waveguide array and the planar waveguide region, and light multiplexed with a plurality of wavelengths is received or output via the central waveguide. Accordingly, a central waveguide, through which multiplexed light is received and output, is added at a place where a plurality of optical waveguides and the output spectrum of these waveguides are not affected, so that the wavelength of multiplexed light can be demultiplexed in a direction from an optical waveguide array on one side to an optical waveguide array on the other side, and simultaneously demultiplexed light can be multiplexed in a direction opposite to the above direction.