Wide tuning range and low operating power AWG-basedthermo-opticwavelength tunable filter using polymer waveguides

Two types of polymer thermo-optic wavelength tunable filter (TOWTF) have been developed, each with a pair of triangular phase shifters. One filter is designed for a large-scale WDM system (32 channels, 0.8 nm spacing), the other for a small-scale WDM system (10 channels, 0.8 nm spacing). The arrayed waveguide number is optimised thus reducing the operating power required by the filters. Moreover, both filters operated with a low crosstalk of < –25 dB.