TOOL FOR MANUFACTURING MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER TYPE OPTICAL ELEMENT, MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER TYPE OPTICAL ELEMENT MANUFACTURING METHOD, MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER TYPE OPTICAL ELEMENT, AND OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for easily manufacturing a Mach-Zehnder interferometer type optical element having desired characteristics, and to provide a tool used for the manufacturing method. SOLUTION: The tool 100 for manufacturing the Mach-Zehnder interferometer type optical element is provided with a groove formation member 110 and a lid member 120. The groove formation member 110 is almost planar and a first groove 111 and a second groove 112 are formed on one surface. One end of the respective first groove 111 and second groove 112 reaches the side of the surface of the groove formation member 110 and the other end of the respective first groove 111 and second groove 112 also reaches the side of the surface of the groove formation member 110. The cross section of the respective first groove 111 and second groove 112 is turned to a shape and a dimension by which an optical fiber can be fixed. The difference of the lengths of the respective first groove 111 and second groove 112 is set so as to turn the optical path length differenceΔL of two optical fivers fixed to them to a desired value.