A Fast and Low-Loss Electromagnetically Tunable Optical Filter

Fast and simple optical filtering is a prerequisite for low-cost passive optical networking using multiple wavelengths to scale to higher capacity. We demonstrate a simple electro-magnetically tuned optical filter capable of tuning across more than 700 GHz of optical spectrum in under 1 ms with low optical loss. We show successful transmission of 10.3-Gb/s modulated signals through the filter with no additional impairments. The device is straightforward to fabricate and assemble and, therefore, offers potentially low cost.