Finisar: Optical Instrumentation

WaveShaper S-Series (WSS-AA) is the next generation of Finisar's WaveShaper family of Programmable Optical Processors. Based on a high-resolution, solid-state Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) optical engine, the WaveShaper S-Series provides extremely fine control of filter or channel amplitude and phase characteristics, including center wavelength, bandwidth, shape and dispersion. Covering the entire C- or L-band the WaveShaper S-Series is available as either a Programmable Optical Filter (WaveShaper 1000S) or Multiport Optical Processor (WaveShaper 4000S).

The precise control of channel or filter wavelength, bandwidth, shape and phase, together with the ability to switch and combine signals using the wavelength switching capability of the WaveShaper 4000S provides a unique capability for optical R&D and production test.

Comparison of WaveShaper Features

	2-port Programmable Filter	1x4 / 4x1 Programmable WSS	Multiport Optical Processor	Attenuation Control incl Blocking	Dispersion Control (1)	Frequency Control (2)
WS 1000S
WS 4000S

_{(1) Dispersion Control provides control of the dispersion within a passband of the filter or channel.
(2) Frequency Control provides 1 GHz resolution of filter shape or channel bandwidth.}

In its simplest application, the WaveShaper S-Series are fully programmable, flat-top optical filters or DWDM channel selectors. The filter or channel bandwidth is programmable in 1 GHz increments from 10 GHz up to the whole C-band, with the center frequency programmable in 1 GHz increments over the whole C-band. L-band versions of both models are also available. Band-stop and optical comb filters are also supported and optical power control over a range of 35dB is supported for all filter types.

In addition to the classical 'flat-top' channel shape, the WaveShaper S-Series supports arbitrary user-generated channel and filter shapes. The required filter shape (both amplitude and phase) can be generated by the user and then loaded into the WaveShaper software which translate the user specification into the required optical shape.

The programmability provides great flexibility for testing high bit-rate (40 Gbps and above) systems and components where the amplitude and dispersion characteristics of the channel play a critical role in the performance of an optical system. Any arbitrary filter can then be used as the switching transfer function for the wavelength switching capability of the 4000S.

The WaveShaper S-Series is supplied with stand-alone control software running under Windows XP as well as LabVIEW^TM drivers for integration into automated test systems.

Applications