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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/J44841/01
Title: POETS: WAVELENGTH SWITCHES FOR SPARSELY FILLED DWDM NETWORKS.
Principal Investigator: Midwinter, Professor J
Other Investigators:
Seeds, Professor AJ Todd, Professor C
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
BT Nortel
Department: Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Organisation: UCL
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 January 1994 Ends: 30 June 1997 Value (£): 216,752
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Optical Communications
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Communications
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
1. To investigate optical networks based on sparsely filled dense wavelength division multiplex architectures.2. To realise a two-dimensional switching node for use in these architectures.Progress:The aberration analysis of the grating to be used in the wavelength routing node has been carried out and completed. The resultant design yields aberration free performance within the spectral range of 1520 - 1570 nm (the Erbium gain bandwidth window). The design is based on a single grating element, namely the Rowland circle-grating, and yields low losses and diffraction limited performance. It was established and calculated that to ensure normal incidence, only one additional optical element is needed - a spherical mirror or prismatic array. Normal incidence is required for optimising the performance of the grating demultiplexer in conjunction with the modulator array, operating in reflection. This work represents the first example of such analysis for Rowland circle devices and the grating design represents the most optimised performance to date. The fabrication of the grating has been completed for the first device and test and measurements results should be available in the first quarter of 1995. Work on the modulator arrays has also seen significant progress. A technique of anodic oxidation has been used for the first time to demonstrate tuning of the exciton peak to the required wavelength, vital for the wavelength dependent operation of AFP modulators within the routing node. Tuning of up to 100nm has been demonstrated and the next step will involve the fabrication of high contrast modulators and modulator arrays at Sheffield where the first designs have been submitted.
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