Ultra-Compact Broadband In-Line Mode Converter Based on a Width-Modulated Silicon Waveguide
Mode division multiplexing (MDM) technology is becoming increasingly important for modern optical communication systems. Here, an ultra-compact broadband in-line mode converter for quasi-TE<sub>00</sub> and quasi-TE<sub>10</sub> on the silicon-on-insulator platform is propose...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IEEE
2021-01-01
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| Series: | IEEE Photonics Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9380381/ |
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| Summary: | Mode division multiplexing (MDM) technology is becoming increasingly important for modern optical communication systems. Here, an ultra-compact broadband in-line mode converter for quasi-TE<sub>00</sub> and quasi-TE<sub>10</sub> on the silicon-on-insulator platform is proposed and demonstrated experimentally. In our device, the mode-conversion region consists of a continuously width-modulated waveguide with a footprint size as small as 1.32 × 4.52 μm<sup>2</sup>. Its modulation profile is designed by using the particle swarm optimization algorithm. This device has a simulated conversion efficiency of about −0.174 dB and an insertion loss less than 0.153 dB within 100-nm wavelength bandwidth from 1500 nm to 1600 nm. Our design exhibits a favorable fabrication error tolerance and the fabricated device has achieved nearly the same conversion efficiency as the simulated one. Our concept can also be applied to design other high-performance mode converters, i.e., converting modes between quasi-TE<sub>20</sub> and quasi-TE<sub>00</sub>. Our work suggests a very promising path for realizing compact integrated MDM systems. |
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| ISSN: | 1943-0655 |