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Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG)

N×N wavelength (de)multiplexer — two slab star couplers connected by an array of waveguides with a constant path increment ΔL. The phase order m and ΔL fix the dispersion; the focal length fl sets the channel spacing on the output star.

Waveguide (EIM TE, silica core, lower-Δ cladding)

AWG channel spec

Array geometry

Spectrum window

Layout (GDS export)

D_slab (effective)
Min bend radius (computed)
Min straight (computed)

Layers — 1: AWG array waveguides · 2: input port · 3: output ports · 10: slab star couplers. Coordinates in μm (1 dbu = 1 nm). PATH width = WG width W with round end-caps (pathtype 2).

Designed AWG parameters

Waveguide effective index n_eff_a
Slab effective index n_eff_s (TE)
Group index n_g
Phase order m
Path difference ΔL
Free spectral range FSR
Focal length f_l (Rowland)
Total angular sweep on star
Channel positions on output face

Top: schematic — input port → input slab (Rowland) → array of N_a waveguides with path increment ΔL → output slab → output ports. Bottom: transmission spectrum at each output port (centred on λ꜀).

How it works

Phase order & path difference: ΔL = m · λ꜀ / n_eff_a. The integer m is the diffraction order seen by every adjacent pair of array waveguides.
Free spectral range: FSR_λ = λ꜀² / (n_g · ΔL). n_g is the group index of the array waveguide (n_g = n_eff − λ · dn_eff/dλ).
Focal length (Rowland circle): f_l = (n_eff_s · d_aw · d_io · n_eff_a) / (m · n_g · Δλ_ch). Sets the linear dispersion x_i = f_l · θ_i on the output star face.
Output port i transmission: T_i(λ) = |Σ_k A_k · exp(j·k·Δφ_i(λ))|² / (Σ A_k)², where Δφ_i = β·ΔL + 2π·n_eff_s·d_aw·θ_i/λ, β = 2π·n_eff_a/λ, θ_i = (i − (N_ch+1)/2)·d_io/f_l.

Reference implementations