Integrated optical chip, array, and method for cutting the same

Abstract

The present invention provides an integrated optical chip, an array, and a method for cutting the same. The chip includes a functional unit, an optical input unit having N cascaded layers, an optical output unit having M cascaded layers, a plurality of optical input transmission channels, a plurality of optical output transmission channels, and lines to be cut. The optical input unit having N cascaded layers includes an nth optical input subunit connected to the optical input port of the functional unit via an optical input transmission channel, and a first optical input subunit. The optical output unit having M cascaded layers includes an mth optical output subunit connected to the optical input port of the functional unit via an optical output transmission channel, and a first optical output subunit. The chip is selectively cut and used to form different first integrated optical devices and second integrated optical devices.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of integrated optical chips, and particularly to integrated optical chips, arrays, and their cutting methods.

Background Art

[0002] Multi-channel optical integrated circuits are currently widely used in various optical fields such as sensing, communication, and computing. These channels can transmit optical signals of the same wavelength separated from a shared light source, or can also transmit optical information of different wavelengths from multiple light sources. In the design of conventional multi-channel optical integrated circuits, the number of required optical input ports and optical output ports is fixed. When the number of optical input / output ports required for an integrated optical device changes, different layouts are required accordingly, resulting in reduced efficiency. Therefore, in order to improve these problems, a new type of integrated optical chip, array, and cutting method are urgently needed.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide an integrated optical chip, an array, and a cutting method thereof, and the chip is cut to form different integrated optical devices.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an integrated optical chip. The integrated optical chip has an optical waveguide, transmits an optical signal through the optical waveguide, synthesizes or separates the optical signal, and the integrated optical chip includes a functional unit, an optical input unit having N cascaded layers, an optical output unit having M cascaded layers, a plurality of optical input transmission channels, a plurality of optical output transmission channels, and a planned cutting line. The optical input unit having N cascade layers includes an nth optical input subunit connected to the optical input port of the functional unit via the optical input transmission channel, and a 1st optical input subunit, where n is an integer of 2 or more. The optical output unit having M cascade layers includes an m-th optical output subunit connected to the optical input port of the functional unit via the optical output transmission channel, and a 1st optical output subunit, where m is an integer of 2 or more. By using the planned cutting lines formed in the cascade layer of the optical input unit and / or optical output unit, the integrated optical chip can be selectively cut to form different first and second integrated optical devices. [Effects of the Invention]

[0005] The beneficial effects of the method of the present invention are as follows: The present invention allows for the selective cutting of the integrated optical chip by predetermined cutting lines formed in the cascade layer of the optical input unit and / or optical output unit, thereby forming different first integrated optical devices and second integrated photon devices. This contributes to improved production efficiency, and by cutting the chip along different cutting lines, it is possible to flexibly obtain first integrated optical devices and second integrated optical devices with different numbers of optical input ports and optical output ports.

[0006] Selectively, the optical input unit may be a cascaded demultiplexer or splitter, and the optical output unit may be a cascaded multiplexer or combiner.

[0007] If a cascaded demultiplexer is selected as the optical input unit, the first input subunit has one input port, and the nth input subunit has n input ports. If a cascaded multiplexer is selected as the optical output unit, the first output subunit has one output port, and the mth optical output subunit has m output ports.

[0008] If a cascaded splitter is selected as the optical input unit, the first input subunit has one input port, and the nth input subunit has n input ports. If a cascaded combiner is selected as the optical output unit, the first output subunit has one output port, and the mth output subunit has m output ports.

[0009] If a cascaded splitter is selected as the optical input unit, the first input subunit has one input port, and the nth input subunit has n input ports. If a cascaded multiplexer is selected as the optical output unit, the first output subunit has one output port, and the mth output subunit has m output ports.

[0010] Selectively, the first integrated optical device has one optical input port and m optical output ports, and the second integrated optical device has n optical input ports and one optical output port.

[0011] Selectively, the first integrated optical device has two optical input ports and m optical output ports, and the second integrated optical device has n optical input ports and two optical output ports.

[0012] The optical input unit and the optical output unit are optionally located on opposite sides of the chip or on the same side.

[0013] Selectively, the functional unit, the optical input unit, and the optical output unit are all provided on the same chip. The material of the chip substrate layer is at least one of bulk silicon, silicon-on-insulator, silicon-on-sapphire, silicon dioxide, indium phosphide, lithium niobate, aluminum oxide, and polymer.

[0014] Selectively, the optical waveguide includes at least one of the following: a channel waveguide, a ridge waveguide, a groove waveguide, a diffusion waveguide, and a photonic crystal waveguide.

[0015] Selectively, the wavelength range of the optical signal includes at least one of the visible light band, O band, E band, S band, C band, L band, U band, and mid-infrared band.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an integrated optical chip array, the integrated optical chip array comprising a plurality of chips arranged in rows and columns, In the row direction of the array, the first chip is adjacent to the second chip, and the optical output port of the first chip is connected to the optical input port of the second chip. In the column direction of the array, the planned cutting line for the first chip lies on the same straight line as the planned cutting line for the third chip.

[0017] In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method for cutting an integrated optical chip, the method comprising the step of cutting the integrated optical chip, selectively cutting the same integrated optical chip through a planned cutting line of the integrated optical chip to form different first integrated optical devices and second integrated optical devices.

[0018] In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides an integrated optical device comprising a functional unit, an optical input unit, an optical output unit, a plurality of optical input transmission channels, and a plurality of optical output transmission channels, wherein the optical input unit is an optical input unit having N cascade layers, or the optical output unit is an optical output unit having M cascade layers. The optical input unit having N cascade layers is connected to the optical input port of the functional unit via the optical input transmission channel and includes an nth optical input subunit having n input ports and a first optical input subunit having 1 input port, where n is an integer of 2 or more. The optical output unit having the M cascaded layers is connected to the optical output port of the functional unit via the optical output transmission channel, and includes an m-th optical output subunit having m output ports and a first optical output subunit having one output port, where m is an integer of 2 or more.

[0019] Optionally, as the optical input unit, a cascaded demultiplexer or splitter is adopted, and as the optical output unit, a cascaded multiplexer or combiner is adopted.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an integrated optical chip provided with a demultiplexer and a multiplexer according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an integrated optical chip provided with a splitter and a combiner according to the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an integrated optical chip provided with a splitter and a multiplexer according to the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an integrated optical chip array provided by the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and fully described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts are included within the protection scope of the present invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms used in this specification shall have the same meanings as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Similar words such as "comprising" used in this specification mean that the elements or things appearing before that word include the elements or things enumerated after that word and their equivalents without excluding other elements or things.

[0022] The present invention provides an integrated optical chip, which has an optical waveguide, transmits an optical signal through the optical waveguide, synthesizes or separates the optical signal, and includes a functional unit, an optical input unit having N cascaded layers, an optical output unit having M cascaded layers, a plurality of optical input transmission channels, a plurality of optical output transmission channels, and a planned cutting line. The optical input unit having N cascaded layers includes an nth optical input sub-unit connected to the optical input port of the functional unit through the optical input transmission channel and a first optical input sub-unit, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2. The optical output unit having M cascaded layers includes an mth optical output sub-unit connected to the optical input port of the functional unit through the optical output transmission channel and a first optical output sub-unit, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 2. The integrated optical chip can be selectively cut by the planned cutting line formed in the cascaded layer of the optical input unit and / or the optical output unit to form different first integrated optical devices and second integrated optical devices.

[0023] In this invention, the planned cutting line may be a visible cutting line or an invisible virtual cutting line, and the invention is not limited to these.

[0024] The present invention allows for the selective cutting of the integrated optical chip by predetermined cutting lines formed in the cascade layer of the optical input unit and / or optical output unit, thereby forming different first integrated optical devices and second integrated photon devices. This contributes to improved production efficiency, and by cutting the chip along different cutting lines, it is possible to flexibly obtain first integrated optical devices and second integrated optical devices with different numbers of optical input ports and optical output ports.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, this embodiment provides an integrated optical chip, and when a cascaded demultiplexer is used as the optical input unit, the first input subunit has one input port, and the nth input subunit has n input ports (unmarked, near the line to be cut C), and when a cascaded multiplexer is used as the optical output unit, the first output subunit has one output port, and the mth optical output subunit has m output ports (unmarked, near the line to be cut F).

[0026] Specifically, a function block is provided in the center of the chip, an optical input unit consisting of N layers of cascaded demultiplexers is provided on one side of the function block, and an optical output unit consisting of M layers of cascaded multiplexers is provided on the other side of the function block. Here, M and N are both integers of 2 or more. The first cascaded layer of the optical input unit is the first input subunit, which has one demultiplexer and is provided on the first edge of the chip, and the nth cascaded layer of the optical input unit is the nth input subunit, which has n demultiplexers and is adjacent to the function block. In one embodiment of the present invention, each demultiplexer has one input port, and the n demultiplexers have n input ports (unmarked, close to the planned cutting line C), where n is an integer of 2 or more. The first cascade layer of the optical output unit is the first output subunit, which has one multiplexer and is located at the second edge of the chip. The Mth cascade layer of the optical output unit is the mth optical output subunit, which has m multiplexers and is adjacent to the functional unit, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment of the present invention, each multiplexer has one output port, and the m multiplexers have m output ports (unmarked, near the planned cutting line F).

[0027] Exemplary, the optical waveguide includes at least one of channel waveguides, ridge waveguides, groove waveguides, diffusion waveguides, and photonic crystal waveguides. The wavelength range of the optical signal includes at least one of the visible light band, O band, E band, S band, C band, L band, U band, and mid-infrared band. The functional unit, the optical input unit, and the optical output unit are all provided on the same chip. The material of the chip substrate layer is at least one of bulk silicon, silicon-on-insulator, silicon-on-sapphire, silicon dioxide, indium phosphide, lithium niobate, aluminum oxide, and polymers.

[0028] Each demultiplexer shown in Figure 1 has one input port at one end (unmarked, near the planned cutting line A) and two output ports at the other end (unmarked, near the planned cutting line B). In some other embodiments, the number of input ports of the demultiplexer may be greater than two, for example, three or four, but is not limited thereto. Similarly, the number of output ports of the multiplexer may also be greater than two, for example, three or four, but is not limited thereto. n and m may be odd or even, depending on the number of optical input ports and optical output ports required in various applications.

[0029] The optical input and output ports shown in Figure 1 are depicted on opposite sides of the chip. It should be understood that in some other examples, the optical input and output ports may be located on the same side. For example, by bending and routing the output waveguide, the optical input and output ports can be aligned on the same edge of the chip. Application scenarios for this embodiment include, but are not limited to, optical sensing, optical beam control, optical interconnection, and optical computing.

[0030] In this embodiment, the demultiplexer is used to separate optical signals of different wavelengths, and the multiplexer is used to combine optical signals of different wavelengths. Cutting lines are provided on both sides of each cascade layer of the optical input unit and the optical output unit, allowing optical signals to be input and output to the waveguide through the cutting edge of the chip.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, in one embodiment of the present invention, when cascaded demultiplexers are used as the optical input unit, the region between the lines to be cut C and D is defined as the nth input subunit, the region between the lines to be cut A and B is defined as the first input subunit, the nth input subunit has n demultiplexers, and the first input subunit has 1 demultiplexer. In one embodiment of the present invention, each demultiplexer has 1 input port (unmarked, close to the line to be cut A), the nth input subunit has n demultiplexers, and the n demultiplexers have n input ports (unmarked, close to the line to be cut C), where n is an integer of 2 or more.

[0032] When a cascaded multiplexer is used as the optical output unit, the region between the planned cutting lines E and F is defined as the mth optical output subunit, the region between the planned cutting lines G and H is defined as the first optical output subunit, the mth optical output subunit has m multiplexers, and the first input subunit has one multiplexer. In one embodiment of the present invention, each multiplexer has one output port (unmarked, close to the planned cutting line H), the mth optical output subunit has m multiplexers, and the m multiplexers have m output ports (unmarked, close to the planned cutting line F). Here, n is an integer of 2 or more.

[0033] For example, by cutting the chip along cutting lines A and F, an integrated optical device with one input port and m output ports can be obtained. In some other examples, by cutting the chip along cutting lines B and F, an integrated optical device with two input ports and m output ports can be obtained. In some further examples, it should be understood that the chip can be cut along the planned cutting line of the optical input unit, leaving the entire optical output unit intact, or the chip can be cut along the planned cutting line of the optical output unit, leaving the entire optical input unit intact.

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, this embodiment provides another integrated optical chip, and when a cascaded splitter is used as the optical input unit, the first input subunit has one input port (unmarked, near line A to be cut), and the nth input subunit has n input ports (unmarked, near line C to be cut). When a cascaded combiner is used as the optical output unit, the first output subunit has one output port (unmarked, near line H to be cut), and the mth optical output subunit has m output ports (unmarked, near line F to be cut).

[0035] Specifically, an optical input unit consisting of N-layer cascaded splitters is provided on one side of the functional unit, and an optical output unit consisting of M-layer cascaded combiners is provided on the other side of the functional unit. The first cascaded layer of the optical input unit is a splitter provided on the first edge of the chip. The Nth cascaded layer of the optical input unit is n splitters adjacent to the functional unit. In one embodiment of the present invention, each splitter has one input terminal (unmarked, near the planned cutting line A), and the n splitters have n input terminals (unmarked, near the planned cutting line C). The first cascaded layer of the optical output unit is a combiner provided on the second edge of the chip. The Mth cascaded layer of the optical output unit is m combiners adjacent to the functional unit. In one embodiment of the present invention, each combiner has one output terminal (unmarked, near the line to be cut H), and m combiners have m output terminals (unmarked, near the line to be cut F). In some other examples, the number of input ports of the splitter may also be greater than two, for example, three or four, but is not limited thereto. Similarly, the number of output ports of the combiner may also be greater than two, for example, three or four, but is not limited thereto. n and m may be odd or even, depending on the number of optical input ports and optical output ports required in various applications. In this embodiment, the splitter is used to separate optical signals of the same wavelength, and the combiner is used to combine optical signals of the same wavelength.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, this embodiment provides yet another integrated optical chip, in which a cascaded splitter is used as the optical input unit, the first input subunit has one input port (unmarked, near line A to be cut), the nth input subunit has n input ports (unmarked, near line C to be cut), and a cascaded multiplexer is used as the optical output unit, the first output subunit has one output port (unmarked, near line H to be cut), and the mth optical output subunit has m output ports (unmarked, near line F to be cut).

[0037] Specifically, an optical input unit consisting of N-layer cascaded splitters is provided on one side of the functional unit, and an optical output unit consisting of M-layer cascaded multiplexers is provided on the other side of the functional unit. The first cascaded layer of the optical input unit is a splitter provided on the first edge of the chip. The Nth cascaded layer of the optical input unit is n splitters adjacent to the functional unit. Each splitter has one input port (unmarked, near the planned cutting line A), and the n splitters have n input ports (unmarked, near the planned cutting line C). The first cascaded layer of the optical output unit has one multiplexer provided on the second edge of the chip. The Mth cascaded layer of the optical output unit has m multiplexers adjacent to the functional unit. Each multiplexer has one output port (unmarked, near the line to be cut H), and n multiplexers have n output ports (unmarked, near the line to be cut F). In some other embodiments, the number of input ports of the splitter may also be greater than two, for example, three or four, but is not limited to this. Similarly, the number of output ports of the multiplexer may also be greater than two, for example, three or four, but is not limited to this. n and m may be odd or even, depending on the number of optical input ports and optical output ports required in various applications. In this embodiment, the splitter is used to separate optical signals of the same wavelength, and the multiplexer is used to combine optical signals of the same wavelength.

[0038] In some further possible embodiments, an optical input unit consisting of N layers of cascaded demultiplexers is provided on one side of the functional unit, and an optical output unit consisting of M layers of cascaded combiners is provided on the other side of the functional unit. The first cascaded layer of the optical input unit has one demultiplexer located on the first edge of the chip. The Nth cascaded layer of the optical input unit has n demultiplexers adjacent to the functional unit. Each demultiplexer has one input port, and the n demultiplexers have n input ports. The first cascaded layer of the optical output unit has one combiner located on the second edge of the chip. The Mth cascaded layer of the optical output unit has m combiners adjacent to the functional unit. Each combiner has one output port, and the n combiners have n output ports. In some other examples, the number of input ports of the demultiplexer may be greater than two, for example, three or four, but is not limited to this. Similarly, the number of output ports of the combiner may be greater than two, for example, three or four, but is not limited to this. n and m may be odd or even, depending on the number of optical input ports and optical output ports required in various applications. In this embodiment, the demultiplexer is used to separate optical signals of the same wavelength, and the combiner is used to combine optical signals of the same wavelength.

[0039] The present invention selectively cuts the integrated optical chip by predetermined cutting lines formed in the cascade layer of the optical input unit and / or optical output unit to form different first integrated optical devices and second integrated photon devices. This contributes to improved production efficiency, and by cutting the chip along different cutting lines, first integrated optical devices and second integrated optical devices with different numbers of optical input ports and optical output ports can be flexibly obtained. In some embodiments of the present invention, the first integrated optical device has one optical input port and m optical output ports, and the second integrated optical device has n optical input ports and one optical output port.

[0040] In some other embodiments of the present invention, the first integrated optical device has two optical input ports and m optical output ports, and the second integrated optical device has n optical input ports and two optical output ports.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4, the present invention further provides an integrated optical chip array including a plurality of integrated optical chips arranged in rows and columns, as shown in Figure 1, Figure 2, or Figure 3. In the row direction of the array, the first chip is adjacent to the second chip, and the optical output port of the first chip is connected to the optical input port of the second chip. In the column direction of the array, the planned cutting line for the first chip lies on the same straight line as the planned cutting line for the third chip.

[0042] Specifically, in the row direction of the array, the (P-1)th chip is adjacent to the Pth chip, the optical output port of the (P-1)th chip is connected to the optical input port of the Pth chip, facilitating joint testing of multiple chips; in the column direction of the array, the chips in each column share a planned cutting line, the Lth planned cutting line of the (Q-1)th chip is collinear with the Lth planned cutting line of the Qth chip, where P, Q, and L are arbitrary positive integers, and P and Q are greater than 1.

[0043] The present invention further provides a method for cutting an integrated optical chip, the method comprising the step of cutting the integrated optical chip in the above embodiment, selectively cutting the same integrated optical chip through a planned cutting line of the integrated optical chip to form different first integrated optical devices and second integrated optical devices.

[0044] The present invention further provides an integrated optical device comprising a functional unit, an optical input unit, an optical output unit, a plurality of optical input transmission channels, and a plurality of optical output transmission channels, wherein the optical input unit is an optical input unit having N cascade layers, or the optical output unit is an optical output unit having M cascade layers. The optical input unit having N cascade layers is connected to the optical input port of the functional unit via the optical input transmission channel and includes an nth optical input subunit having n input ports and a first optical input subunit having 1 input port, where n is an integer of 2 or more. The optical output unit having M cascade layers is connected to the optical output port of the functional unit via the optical output transmission channel and includes an m-th optical output subunit having m output ports and a first optical output subunit having one output port, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0045] Selectively, the optical input unit may be a cascaded demultiplexer or splitter, and the optical output unit may be a cascaded multiplexer or combiner.

[0046] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and changes remain within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, the present invention as described herein can also be in other embodiments and can be carried out or realized in various ways.

Claims

1. An integrated optical chip having an optical waveguide, transmitting optical signals through the optical waveguide, and combining or separating the optical signals, wherein the integrated optical chip includes a functional unit, an optical input unit having N cascade layers, an optical output unit having M cascade layers, a plurality of optical input transmission channels, a plurality of optical output transmission channels, and a line to be cut off. The optical input unit having N cascade layers includes an nth optical input subunit connected to the optical input port of the functional unit via the optical input transmission channel, and a first optical input subunit, where n is an integer of 2 or more. The optical output unit having M cascade layers includes an m-th optical output subunit connected to the optical input port of the functional unit via the optical output transmission channel, and a 1st optical output subunit, where m is an integer of 2 or more. An integrated optical chip characterized in that the integrated optical chip can be selectively cut by cutting lines formed in the cascade layer of the optical input unit and / or optical output unit to form different first integrated optical devices and second integrated optical devices.

2. The chip according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical input unit employs a cascaded demultiplexer or splitter, and the optical output unit employs a cascaded multiplexer or combiner.

3. The chip according to claim 2, characterized in that when a cascaded demultiplexer is used as the optical input unit, the first input subunit has one input port and the nth input subunit has n input ports, and when a cascaded multiplexer is used as the optical output unit, the first output subunit has one output port and the mth optical output subunit has m output ports.

4. The chip according to claim 2, characterized in that when a cascaded splitter is used as the optical input unit, the first input subunit has one input port and the nth input subunit has n input ports, and when a cascaded combiner is used as the optical output unit, the first output subunit has one output port and the mth output subunit has m output ports.

5. The chip according to claim 2, characterized in that when a cascaded splitter is used as the optical input unit, the first input subunit has one input port and the nth input subunit has n input ports, and when a cascaded multiplexer is used as the optical output unit, the first output subunit has one output port and the mth output subunit has m output ports.

6. The chip according to claim 1, characterized in that the first integrated optical device has one optical input port and m optical output ports, and the second integrated optical device has n optical input ports and one optical output port.

7. The chip according to claim 1, characterized in that the first integrated optical device has two optical input ports and m optical output ports, and the second integrated optical device has n optical input ports and two optical output ports.

8. The chip according to claim 2, characterized in that the optical input unit and the optical output unit are located on opposite sides of the chip or on the same side.

9. The aforementioned functional unit, the optical input unit, and the optical output unit are all provided on the same chip. The chip according to claim 2, characterized in that the material of the chip substrate layer is at least one of bulk silicon, silicon-on-insulator, silicon-on-sapphire, silicon dioxide, indium phosphide, lithium niobate, aluminum oxide, and polymer.

10. The chip according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical waveguide includes at least one of a channel waveguide, a ridge waveguide, a groove waveguide, a diffusion waveguide, and a photonic crystal waveguide.

11. The chip according to claim 1, characterized in that the wavelength range of the optical signal includes at least one of the visible light band, O band, E band, S band, C band, L band, U band, and mid-infrared band.

12. An integrated optical chip array comprising a plurality of chips according to claim 1 arranged in rows and columns, In the row direction of the array, the first chip is adjacent to the second chip, and the optical output port of the first chip is connected to the optical input port of the second chip. An integrated optical chip array characterized in that, in the column direction of the array, the planned cutting line of the first chip lies on the same straight line as the planned cutting line of the third chip.

13. A method for cutting an integrated optical chip, comprising the step of cutting the chip described in claim 1, characterized in that the same integrated optical chip is selectively cut through a planned cutting line of the integrated optical chip to form different first integrated optical devices and second integrated optical devices.

14. An integrated optical device comprising a functional unit, an optical input unit, an optical output unit, a plurality of optical input transmission channels, and a plurality of optical output transmission channels, wherein the optical input unit is an optical input unit having N cascade layers, or the optical output unit is an optical output unit having M cascade layers. The optical input unit having N cascade layers is connected to the optical input port of the functional unit via the optical input transmission channel and includes an nth optical input subunit having n input ports and a first optical input subunit having one input port, where n is an integer of 2 or more. The optical output unit having M cascade layers is connected to the optical output port of the functional unit via the optical output transmission channel and includes an m-th optical output subunit having m output ports and a first optical output subunit having one output port, wherein m is an integer of 2 or more, characterized in that it is an integrated optical device.

15. The integrated optical device according to claim 14, characterized in that the optical input unit employs a cascaded demultiplexer or splitter, and the optical output unit employs a cascaded multiplexer or combiner.

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