ALIGNMENT OF MULTI-CHANNEL DIFFRACTIVE WDM DEVICE

摘要

A method and apparatus are presented for aligning a diffractive WDM device that includes i) a multi-channel, light handling device having a selected channel spacing and ii) a multi-channel signal input unit. The method includes adjusting a direction of incidence of an optical signal from the input unit on at least a first diffracting element of the WDM device so as to set an actual optical channel spacing at an output region of the WDM device to be approximately equal to the selected channel spacing of the multi-channel, light handling device. In the apparatus, the orientation of the light input unit is adjustable in a direction parallel to a diffraction plane of the diffractive WDM device so as to select an actual channel spacing at the multi-channel, light handling device that is approximately equal to the selected channel spacing.