Custom Arrayed Waveguide Gratings with Improved Performance

Arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) are key optical components of various new applications in telecommunication, astrology, medical imaging, and spectroscopy. It is a very powerful integrated light dispersion technology with significant flexibility for tailoring its performance to the individual system needs of each application. There are several examples of custom AWG designs in the literature aiming for improved system performance. In this review, we will provide an overview of the available methods for improving the bandwidth, spectral resolution, and transmission function shape of AWGs. The working principle as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each method will be discussed.