Three-dimensional WDM optical module using a light-induced self-written (LISW) waveguide technology

We developed the bidirectional WDM transceiver module that combined the two LED light sources of different wavelength and three-dimensional (3-D) optical waveguides. By using a light-induced self-written (LISW) technique, we fabricated and tested 3-D optical waveguide circuits for a plastic optical fiber (POF) WDM full-duplex communication module. Because of the large diameter of the POF, an optical waveguide has the advantages, as compared to conventional lens based modules, of a small size and optical low-loss features. The LISW waveguide enables optical components to connect automatically even if the circuit in the module is complex. In this paper, we demonstrate newly developed bidirectional WDM optical module containing 3-D optical circuits, i.e. a branching waveguide and a reflection waveguide, and their optical properties. The module using commercially available green and red LED was constructed and the two-way communication on IEEE1394-S100 (125Mbps) protocol was verified through 10m-length of POF.