Add/drop filter for CWDM systems using side-coupled long-period fiber gratings

Abstract

We demonstrate a simple and effective wavelength-tunable add/drop filter suitable for coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) systems. The filter consists of two fibers in contact side by side, with identical long-period fiber gratings (LPG) in each fiber. The LPG couples the power in the fundamental core mode to one of the cladding modes, which is then coupled to the same order cladding mode in the other fiber through evanescent-field coupling between two fibers. Finally, the cladding mode in the second fiber is coupled to its core mode with the help of the other LPG. With an optimal longitudinal offset distance of 10 cm, coupling efficiency as high as -1.68 dB and side lobes smaller than -24 dB were experimentally obtained. The experimental results agreed well with the theoretical ones. The operating wavelength of the proposed add/drop filter was tunable by varying the temperature. The temperature sensitivity was measured to be -0.43 nm/˚C.