| 摘要 |
In accordance with the present invention, optical channels to be demultiplexed are supplied to first and second optical fibers via an optical splitter. Low loss interference filters, for example , coupled to the first and second optical fibers, select respective groups of channels. Each group of channels is next demultiplexed with sub-demultiplexers into individual channels, each of which is then sensed with a corresponding photodetector. Although the optical splitter introduces an optical power loss at the input to the demultiplexer, the interference filters and sub-demultiplexers create little additional loss. As a result, the total power loss associated with the present invention is significantly less than that obtained with a conventional n channel demultiplexer based on a 1 x n splitter. Accordingly, large numbers of channel, e.g., in excess of forty, can be readily demultiplexed and detected.
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