In future airplanes optical data networks are expected to be state of the art. The advantages of optical technology compared to wire-based systems are higher data rates, smaller sensitivity against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and less weight. Today avionics full duplex switched ethernet (AFDX) is realised on duplex copper wires connecting two switches. An optical version of AFDX could be realised on a simplex fibre, using a two-wavelength transmission over one fibre. This would require a wavelength selective coupler, allowing a bi-directional data transmission with two wavelengths. In this work a simple WDM module is introduced, based on the principle of a micro-optical bench made of a polymer with hybrid integration of lenses and filters and allowing both multiplexing as well as de-multiplexing of wavelengths 850 nm and 1310 nm. Two different designs have been realised, one with ball lenses and one with GRIN lenses, both using edge filters for wavelength separation. The fabrication and optical performance of such couplers is described and discussed.

Date Published: 18 August 2004
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 5451, Integrated Optics and Photonic Integrated Circuits, (18 August 2004); doi: 10.1117/12.543387

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5451:
Integrated Optics and Photonic Integrated Circuits
Giancarlo C. Righini; Seppo Honkanen, Editor(s)