Efficient mode converter to deep-subwavelength region with photonic-crystal waveguide platform for terahertz applications.

Abstract

Metallic deep-subwavelength features can aid in integration of microscopic components or strong light-matter interaction with a low-loss dielectric waveguide platform. A mode converter or coupler is required to integrate the devices. However, there is a vast difference in the physical scale and modal distribution between the deep-subwavelength structures and the dielectric waveguide platform. Here, we employ a tapered-slot mode converter to facilitate the electromagnetic wave transition from a gap width smaller than 1/100 of a wavelength (λ) to a larger-scale mode that is amenable to a terahertz (THz) silicon photonic-crystal waveguide. The mode converter is metallic, and fabricated on top of indium phosphide substrate, leading to incongruity with the modal field distribution of the silicon photonic-crystal waveguide. To mitigate this, a sandwiched structure is developed to match the symmetry of the mode of photonic-crystal waveguide, thereby facilitating efficient transfer of energy. For a proof of concept, we integrate a resonant tunneling diode (< 2 µm) as a THz detector in a photonic-crystal waveguide platform in the 0.3-THz band (λ ∼ 1 mm). The coupling efficiency is close to unity (∼90%) with broadband operation (∼50 GHz) in experiments. Thereafter, we employ the developed integrated device as a receiver in a THz communication experiment. In this manner, we successfully achieve real-time error-free data transmission at 32 Gbit/s, and demonstrate wireless transmission of uncompressed 4K high-definition video.