Integrated Optical Delay Lines for Time-Division Multiplexers

In this paper, we present a study of integrated optical delay lines (DLs) for application in optical time-division multiplexers. The investigated DLs are formed by spirally folded waveguides. The components were designed in a generic approach and fabricated in multi-project wafer runs on an InP-based platform. The design process and rules, together with characterization results of test structures, are discussed. Static and dynamic measurements were performed for verification of the DLs´ performance in the wavelength and time domain. Additionally, a comparison between the simulation and characterization results is given, which confirms good agreement between measured and designed values.