Abstract
The synthesized grating structure (SYNGRAT) can be used as an electro-optically controlled tunable wavelength switch for single and multiwavelength application. The characteristics of the SYNGRAT are investigated theoretically by using a combination of coupled mode theory and guided eigenmode expansion method. A comparison between the SYNGRAT and the acousto-optically tunable filter (AOTF) shows that the SYNGRAT has the possibility to replace the AOTF in a wavelength-routed cross connector as a multiwavelength switch.