| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems associated with: significant power consumption in a heat control mechanism due to utilization of a thermooptic effect in a conventional optical wavelength variable filter; long response time of wavelength variation of 2-60 ms; and moreover reliability damaged from hygroscopicity caused by use of a polymer waveguide from a standpoint of thermooptic characteristics. SOLUTION: The optical wavelength variable filter materializes a wavefront conversion control for varying the wavelength with a spatial optical device other than an AWG. A wavefront control element utilizes a micromachine type wavefront controller by an electrostatic drive method. A magnetic drive method, a thermal drive method, and a piezoelectric drive method are optionally utilized. A similar result is also obtained by utilizing an electro-optical crystal. An LCOS (Liquid Crystal On Silicon) and a liquid crystal element of vertical alignment are also utilized by making light polarization independent. A wavelength variation control is conducted with extremely low power consumption, and response time for wavelength switching is very short. The optical wavelength filter with a simple optical arrangement configuration and excellent in stability and in implementation is materialized. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT |
