Thin WDM filters for low-cost optical triplexers on silicon optical benches

A cost-effective optical triplexer using thin wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) filters and lensed fibres on a silicon optical bench is proposed. The wavelength demultiplexing of the triplexer was performed using two 60 mum-thick WDM thin-film filters (TFFs). The fibre-to-fibre insertion losses were less than 1.2 dB. The thermal stability of the triplexer was also investigated. The variations of power at the 1.31/1.49/1.55 mum ports were less than 0.8 dB within the bandwidth required by ITU-T G.983.3 at a substrate temperature of 100degC.