Efficient polarization splitter-rotator on thin-film lithium niobate.

Abstract

Recently, thin-film lithium niobate coherent modulators have emerged as a promising candidate for the next generation coherent communication system. High performance polarization splitter-rotators (PSRs) are essential to further achieve dual polarization coherent modulators. Here we present a PSR on the lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) platform with the measured insertion loss less than 1 dB, extinction ratio exceeding 26.6 dB and 19.6 dB for TE0 and TM0 modes, working bandwidth of 1520-1580 nm and total length of 440 µm. In addition, a relatively large fabrication tolerance for waveguide width is also proved. This demonstrated PSR can find its potential application in polarization-division multiplexing (PDM) optical transmitter based on LNOI.