N/spl times/N arrayed waveguide gratings with improved frequency accuracy

The limitations imposed by the frequency standards on the performance of N/spl times/N arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) are reviewed for different device layouts. An improved design that allows for an enhanced frequency accuracy of the transmission response of the device is presented and experimentally verified. The maximum deviation from the frequency standards is reduced by almost a factor of two in a 32 /spl times/ 32 AWG with 100 GHz channel spacing.