Bookham Unveils Optical Mux based on Thin Film Filter Technology

Bookham Technology unveiled a new class of high channel count, scalable multiplexer/demultiplexer solutions based on thin film filter (TFF) technology. Optical filtering based on "banded architecture" arranges separate optical communications channels on a particular wavelength into groups and, instead of processing them one at a time, the filter processes the group. Based on Bookham's proprietary AED III (Advanced Energetic Deposition, version III) technology, a new class of banded filters called "8 skip 0" and "10 skip 0" have been introduced for use in 100 GHz channel spacing DWDM systems. These filters enable 8 or 10 channels at a time to be filtered without skipping, or sacrificing, the neighbouring channels. Bookham said this capability is more than double the level of the industry's more commonplace four-channel versions. The new filters allow multiplexers and demultiplexers to be built with a simplified, flexible, and lower cost architecture. http://www.bookham.com