GAIN FLATTENING FILTER, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING GAIN FLATTENING FILTER

A gain flattening filter includes a first optical fiber that has a core, a core, a first cladding, and a second cladding and that has a uniform composition in a length direction; and a pair of second optical fibers fused to both ends of the first optical fiber. The first optical fiber has a first section in which a slanted refractive index grating is formed and a pair of second sections connecting both ends of the first section to the pair of second optical fibers. The first cladding contains a photosensitive material whose refractive index increases upon irradiation with light having a specific wavelength. In the core, a tensile stress remains in the first section. An average MFD of the second sections is larger than an average MFD of the second optical fibers and smaller than an average MFD of the first section.