An efficient technique is used to flatten the spectral response of an arrayed waveguide grating （AWG） multiplexer. By subtracting an increment from the core width of odd arrayed waveguides and by adding the same increment to that of even arrayed waveguides,a box-like spectral response can be obtained. A 17 × 17 polymer AWG multiplexer with box- like spectral response has been made using FPE polymer materials. Measured result for the AWG shows that the box-like spectral response has a 3dB bandwidth of 0. 476nm, the crosstalk is about or less than - 21dB for every output channel,and the insertion loss is 13-15dB.
Arrayed waveguide grating（AWG） is a key device in the wavelength-division multiplexing（WDM） system, and the flat spectral response of the AWG device is required.In this paper,the RIE process has been improved.By using the steam-redissolution technique,the insertion loss and the crosstalk have been reduced.Experimental results show that the central wavelength is 1550.86 nm,the channel spectral response flatness is about 1.5 dB,3-dB bandwidth is about 0.478 nm,insertion loss is 10.5 dB,and crosstalk is about-22 dB.The insertion loss of an AWG device is reduced by about 3 dB for the central channel and 4.5 dB for the edge channels,and the crosstalk is reduced by 2.5 dB after the steam-redissolution.
