Appeal 2007-0953
Application 10/607,466
ISSUE
Have Appellants established that the Examiner erred in finding that
McGreer discloses a wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer where
(1) the input waveguide for inputting a multiplexed optical signal to the
grating is respectively disposed on both sides of the substrate centering on
the AWG, and (2) the output waveguides for outputting single-channel
demultiplexed optical signals are respectively disposed on both sides of the
substrate centering on the AWG as claimed?
FINDINGS OF FACT
McGreer discloses an optical wavelength division multiplexing and
demultiplexing system that utilizes a planar lightwave circuit known as an
AWG router. An exemplary AWG router is shown in Fig. 3A and comprises
one or more input channel waveguides 160, an input slab waveguide 170, an
AWG 180, and output slab waveguide 190, and one or more output channel
waveguides 200. A transition segment 215 provides optical coupling
between the slab waveguide and the waveguides on the structure’s “input
side” and/or “output side” (McGreer, col. 8, ll. 51-67; col. 9, ll. 3-10; col. 3,
ll. 4-7; Figs. 3A-3C).
The transition segment can comprise a tapered portion and an
extension (McGreer, col. 5, ll. 10-21; col. 9, l. 52 - col. 10, l. 16; Figs. 3B
and 3C). In the embodiment of Fig. 8, the taper extension 250 has gradually
changing width so that the optical power in the first and third modes is
relatively constant as light travels through the extension (McGreer, col. 15,
ll. 14-33; Fig. 8). Moreover, the taper extension prevents the first and third
modes from coupling together (McGreer, col. 8, ll. 47-50).
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Last modified: September 9, 2013