Design Scheme for Mach-Zehnder Interferometric CWDM Wavelength Splitters/Combiners

Abstract

We propose an analytical approach to design flattened wavelength splitters with cascaded Mach-Zehnder interferometers when wavelength dependence of the directional couplers cannot be neglected. We start from a geometrical representation of the action of a doubly point symmetrical filter, assuming no wavelength dependence of the couplers. Next we derive the analytical formulas behind its working principle and we extend them to the wavelength dependent case. We also show how the geometrical representation allows to broaden the class of working structures.