The influence of impurities in performs and of the drawing condition on the hydrogen-induced loss increase in the OH absorption band and the radiation-induced loss increase is investigated. The loss increase is much larger in fibers contaminated by sodium. Moreover, the loss increase in fibers with natural SiO2 clad, which is contaminated by alkali ions, increases with increasing maximum temperature in the drawing furnace and with decreasing drawing speed. By thermodynamically analyzing these results, the origin of the loss increase is identified as follows:(1) The OH loss increase and the radiation-induced loss increase are ascribed to the same origin.(2) The structural reorientation from GeO4 tetrahedrons to GeO6 groups thermally occurs in the drawing process, when the perform is contaminated by alkali ions.(3) The loss increase is induced through the reaction of H2 and radiation with GeO6 groups.

We demonstrate a simple BER monitoring method for WDM signals. Newly developed 32-channel wavelength selector based on thermo-optic switch and AWG is used. The BER of each channel is estimated from opened eye-diagrams obtained by asynchronous sampling. Good BER monitoring performance is confirmed.

This paper reviews the recent progress made by those working on optical filters and switches for photonic networks based on dense wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). While various kinds of optical devices have been developed for flexible and large-capacity networks, the key components for the WDM networks are narrow-band filters and switches. Three kinds of optical filter are described in this paper: thin-film interference filters, fiber grating filters and arrayed-waveguide-grating (AWG) filters. The optical switches reviewed here are mechanical fiber-type switches, thermo-optic switches made using planar-lightwave-circuit technologies, total-internal-reflection switches and micro-electromechanical-system switches. Each device has its own advantages, and has been or will be used in point-to-point WDM, optical add/drop mupliplexing systems and optical crossconnect systems. Further advances in optical components and technologies are expected to contribute greatly to the construction of future photonic networks.

This paper describes the technological issues in achieving a low-cost hybrid WDM module for access network systems. The problems which should be resolved in developing a low-cost module are clarified from the viewpoint of the module assembly in mass production. A design concept for a low-cost module suitable for mass production is indicated, which simplifies the alignment between a laser diode and a waveguide, and reduces the number of the components such as lenses and mirrors. The low-cost module is achieved by employing a flip-chip bonding method with passive alignment using a spot-size converter integrated laser diode (SS-LD) and p-i-n waveguide photodiodes (WGPDs) on a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) platform. We confirm that the SS-LD and the WGPD provide high coupling efficiency with a large tolerance for passive alignment. To achieve a high-sensitivity receiver, the module is designed to employ an asymmetric PLC Y-splitter that prefers a PD responsivity to an LD output power because of the high-coupling efficiency of the LD, and to employ a bare preamplifier mounting to reduce the parasitic capacitance into a preamplifier. We also demonstrate the dynamic performance for a 50-Mb/s burst signal, such as a high sensitivity, an instantaneous AGC response, and a small APC deviation of the transceiver.

We describe the fabrication method and characteristics of hybrid external cavity lasers composed of a spot-size converter integrated LD (SS-LD) and a UV written Bragg grating in a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) on a Si substrate. The SS-LD is passively aligned on a Si platform formed in the PLC, and the UV grating is created in the PLC with ArF laser irradiation through a phase mask. This structure enables us to fabricate a stable single-mode laser with a precisely controllable oscillation wavelength. By using the above techniques, we obtained a threshold current of 7-8 mA and a side mode suppression of 37 dB for an external cavity laser operating at 1.3 µm. Moreover, we successfully demonstrated a four-channel external cavity laser with a wavelength interval of 2 nm 0.1 nm by integrating 4 SS-LDs on a PLC and controlling the Bragg wavelengths with ArF laser irradiation without a phase mask.

Natural quartz jacketed fibers showed a larger OH loss increase due to diffused H2 than synthesized silica jecketed fibers. This additional OH loss increased with an increase in the drawing temperature and a decrease in the drawing speed in the former, although it was not changed by the drawing conditions in the latter. From this result, it was estimated that impurities which diffused from the natural quartz into the core glass during the drawing process were related to the large OH loss increase.