INTEGRATED OPTICAL DEVICE

摘要

An integrated optical device comprises a first and a second integrated waveguides (201, 203) arranged so as to be in optical coupling relationship in a first and a second spaced-apart coupling regions (205, 207), and having respective optically uncoupled waveguide sections (209, 211) in between the first and second coupling regions. A first and a second modulated refractive index structures (223, 225) are provided, each one formed along a respective uncoupled waveguide section; the modulated refractive index structures comprises each at least one pair of regions (403, 401) of mutually different refractive index, adjacent to each other along the respective uncoupled waveguide section. The regions of mutually different refractive index comprise a portion (403) of the respective uncoupled waveguide section and a gap (401) formed in the uncoupled waveguide section, the refractive indexes of the regions differing from each other of at least approximately 1.5 %. The device can be exploited to form optical multiplexers/demultiplexers, particularly adapted to the use in wavelength division multiplexing optical communications.