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Dielectric Materials for Thin-Film-Based Optical Communications Filters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Robert B. Sargent  and
Nada A. O'Brien
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Abstract

Explosive growth in the fiber-optic telecommunications infrastructure during the past decade has driven noteworthy advances in thin-film-based optical interference filter technology. In particular, the widespread deployment of wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM), a means of increasing the communication capacity of an optical fiber by utilizing more than one wavelength of light, has motivated significant improvements in bandpass filter performance. A common requirement is for filters that combine or separate wavelengths spaced 100 GHz (0.8 nm) apart. The foundation for these recent breakthroughs has been laid by the development of optical coating technology over the past century. This article reviews the materials and processes used in the production of thin-film-based optical communications filters.

Keywords

dielectric materialsphotonic materialsoptical communicationsthin films
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Bulletin , Volume 28 , Issue 5: Photonic Materials for Optical Communications , May 2003 , pp. 372 - 376
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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