Abstract

Novel asymmetric Y-branches with an arbitrary optical splitting, to our knowledge, have been proposed for the first time. The use of conventional Y-branches, in which an optical signal power is divided equally into two ports, is not necessarily favorable for optical wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) transmitter/receiver modules' because the ratio of optical signal divided into transmitter, and receiver ports is fixed independently of system conditions. The conventional Y-branches also impose 2ⁿ (n = 1, 2, 3,...) output ports for 1 × N optical splitters.² This would lead to some limitation on transmission systems in making good use of optical signal power. The emergence of asymmetric Y-branches would give increased freedom to the design of optical circuits, resulting in the flexibility of optical communication systems. This paper presents novel asymmetric Y-branches with an arbitrary splitting ratio, which have flattened spectral response in the wavelength range from 1.2 μn to 1.6 pun and small polarization-dependent loss (PDL).

© 1996 Optical Society of America