The Corporate Optical Backbone Network (COBNET) project is a joint research project within the ACTS program of the European Commission. The COBNET consortium is considering the use of advanced optical networking technologies for the backbones offuture corporate networks. In particular, multichannel add/drop ring networks based on wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) as well as on optical space-division multiplexing (SDM) technologies are being pursued. An overview is given of the systemconcept, the device technology, and the demonstration network that was developed within COBNET. The WDM ring option and specifically the related add/drop devices are focused on in more detail. These devices are fabricated in a newly developedhighrefractive-index contrast planar silica-on-silicon technology by using silicon-oxynitride (SiON) as the core waveguide material. Compact add/drop components based on the resonant coupler concept are realized. The filter characteristic can be tailoredand tuned by thermo-optic heaters, which enables the selection of any given wavelength out of a series of wavelengths from the WDM ring using the same device.
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