Abstract
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 xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">00</sub> and quasi-TE <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">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 xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">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 xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">20</sub> and quasi-TE <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">00</sub> . Our work suggests a very promising path for realizing compact integrated MDM systems.
Highlights
Multiplexing technology, transmitting several signals in shared channels, can greatly enhance the information transmission capacity, e.g., in optical fiber systems, photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and wireless communication systems
While the transmission capacity based on dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology has become increasingly saturated, mode division multiplexing (MDM) [3] in fiber systems and chip-based systems provides another effective approach
The last 3D finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method driven by particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to optimize the device for maximum averaged conversion efficiency from quasi-TE10 to quasi-TE00
Summary
Multiplexing technology, transmitting several signals in shared channels, can greatly enhance the information transmission capacity, e.g., in optical fiber systems, photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and wireless communication systems. Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) [1], [2] with low crosstalk has already gained great success in offering broad operation bandwidth and increasing the channel capacity. While the transmission capacity based on dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology has become increasingly saturated, mode division multiplexing (MDM) [3] in fiber systems and chip-based systems provides another effective approach. MDM leverages the orthogonality of different eigen-modes of the waveguide, each of which can carry data independently in an ideal case.
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