An
innovative technique for expanding the number of channels
per fiber involves an optical device, called an optical
interleaver. For example, in most DWDM equipment,
the standard channel spacing is 100 GHz. But spacing the
signal-carrying frequencies every 50 or even 25 GHz can
double or even quadruple the number of channels per fiber.
This job is accomplished by an optical interleaver.
Such a device takes two multiplexed signals with 100-GHz
spacing and interleaves them, creating a DWDM signal with
channels spaced 50 GHz apart. The process can be repeated,
creating even denser composite signals with 25-GHz or
12.5-GHz spacing. The signals at the receiving end are
recovered with the same devices used as splitters or optical
de-interleavers. Thus, devices and/or networks can
be upgraded without requiring that all devices be upgraded,
or network bandwidth can be increased.
Optoplex's Optical Interleaver
products are based on patented Step-Phase Interferometer
design. Used as a Demux (or Mux) device, an optical
interleaver separates (or combines) the odd and even
channel signals (see the schematic diagram below). Each
optical interleaver device is optimized to cover
either C- or L-band wavelengths, with the option of covering
C+L band. The current standard optical interleaver
product family supports 100-200, 50-100, 25-50, and 12.5-25
GHz channel spacing, covering up to 90, 180, 360, and
720 channels, respectively, as well as other custom spacings
in that range, such as 33.33-66.66
GHz. Dual-stage
optical interleavers are also available. For asymmetric
optical interleaver, please visit the other web page.
Optoplex's
Optical Interleavers have wide and flat passband,
low (and customizable) dispersion, low and uniform insertion
loss, low PDL, high channel isolation and very low thermal
drift.
For Uneven or Asymmetric
Optical Interleaver, please visit a different page.
Symmetric
Optical Interleaver
Symmetric Optical
De-Interleaver
