INTEGRATED-OPTIC VERSUS MICROOPTIC DEVICES FOR FIBEROPTIC TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS - A COMPARISON

We assess the relative merits and prospects of integrated-optics in co mparison with microoptic and fiber-based techniques, Firstly, the mark et for fiber-optic components for telecommunications is analyzed, Seco ndly, the technological issues which make integrated optics quite diff erent from integrated electronics will be discussed, Thirdly, a specif ic comparison between the potential of the competing optical technolog ies will be made for the polarization-diversity hybrid and the optical wavelength (de)multiplexer, two optical devices used in networks that are based on optical frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).