Efficient Mode Conversion Research Articles

Bandwidth and Gain Enhancement of Endfire Radiating Open-Ended Waveguide Using Thin Surface Plasmon Structure

This paper proposes a technique to enhance the bandwidth and gain of an endfire radiating open-ended waveguide using a thin slow-wave surface plasmon structure. Mounted in the E-plane of the stated waveguide, a thin corrugated slow-wave structure has been used in conjunction with a waveguide transition to generate an endfire electromagnetic beam. An efficient mode conversion from waveguide transition to the corrugate plate resulted in the improved performance of the design. An impedance bandwidth from 8 GHz to 18 GHz has been achieved along with a gain enhancement from 7 dBi to 14.8 dBi using the proposed hybrid design. Endfire radiations have been obtained with a beam width of less than 25° through the proposed hybrid design with an efficiency of about 96 percent.

Ultra-broadband highly efficient mode converter at 1 μm fabricated by a line-focused CO2 laser

We report here an ultra-broadband linearly polarized (LP) LP01−LP11 mode converter operating at 1 μm based on a long period fiber grating (LPFG) fabricated in a conventional two-mode fiber (TMF) by a line-focused CO2 laser. The measured 3 dB bandwidth is about 240 nm, which is the broadest bandwidth for such fiber mode converters. The maximum conversion efficiency between the LP01 and LP11 modes is >99% over the range of 1000 nm to 1085 nm, almost covering the whole emission band of Yb3+, which is useful for further power scaling of high-power fiber lasers operating at the 1 μm band.

All-Optical Mode Conversion and Temperature Sensing via Transient Grating in Step-Index Fiber

We demonstrate the formation of Kerr-induced transient long period grating in a standard single-mode fiber (SMF28) using sub-nanosecond laser pulses, which can be used to realize an efficient all-optical mode conversion and temperature sensing. The fiber supports $LP_{01}$ and $LP_{11}$ spatial modes at 1064-nm wavelength. The beating between two guided modes induces refractive index grating exploiting the Kerr effect. The probe beam co-propagating with the pump at the same wavelength but with different polarization exhibits efficient mode conversion efficiency from $LP_{01}$ to $LP_{11}$ mode. Temperature sensitivity is measured owing to the change in mode conversion efficiency due to the shift in resonant peak wavelength with the increase in temperature. The change in temperature is manifested by the change in spectral power of probe beam at the output. The experimental result demonstrates an average temperature sensitivity of 0.15 Watt/°C. The transient nature of the grating with high sensitivity makes our approach unique from the existing results and can open a route for potential applications.

Asymptotic theory of bimodal quarter-wave impedance matching for full mode-converting transmission

A quarter-wave impedance-matching element inserted between two dissimilar media allows full-power transmission, but this phenomenon occurs only when the mode of the incident and transmitted waves remains unaltered, either longitudinal (L) or transverse (T). Here, we report our asymptotic bimodal quarter-wave impedance-matching theory for full-power mode-converting transmission. It requires that two coupled quarter waves should be simultaneously formed inside a matching element possessing specific anisotropy for phase matching and L-to-T (T-to-L) mode conversion. Simulations using designed metamaterial matching elements show that nearly full mode-converting transmissions can be realized within a single medium or between two dissimilar media. We expect that our theory can be critically useful for medical and industrial ultrasonic applications wherever highly efficient mode conversion and high-powered transverse waves are required.

Mode-locked all-fiber laser generating optical vortex pulses with tunable repetition rate

We propose and demonstrate an all-fiber actively mode-locked laser producing optical vortex pulses with high efficiency and a tunable repetition rate. Both vectorial and scalar optical vortices, i.e., cylindrical vector beams and orbital angular momentum beams, have been generated. Highly efficient mode conversion is realized by introducing a two-mode long-period fiber grating into the laser cavity as a mode converter with low insertion loss. A two-mode fiber Bragg grating is employed as a mode selector, a spectrum filter and an output mirror. A LiNbO3 Mach–Zehnder intensity modulator served as a mode-locker to achieve active harmonic mode-locking. The slope efficiency increases from 10.24% to 12.61% with the repetition rate of the pulse train flexibly tuned from 15.65 MHz at the fundamental mode-locking to 626 MHz at the 40th order harmonic mode-locking with superior stability. Switching between vectorial and scalar optical vortices at different repetition rates is realized through the intra-cavity state of polarization control.

Scaling photonic lanterns for space-division multiplexing

We present a new technique allowing the fabrication of large modal count photonic lanterns for space-division multiplexing applications. We demonstrate mode-selective photonic lanterns supporting 10 and 15 spatial channels by using graded-index fibres and microstructured templates. These templates are a versatile approach to position the graded-index fibres in the required geometry for efficient mode sampling and conversion. Thus, providing an effective scalable method for large number of spatial modes in a repeatable manner. Further, we demonstrate the efficiency and functionality of our photonic lanterns for optical communications. Our results show low insertion and mode dependent losses, as well as enhanced mode selectivity when spliced to few mode transmission fibres. These photonic lantern mode multiplexers are an enabling technology for future ultra-high capacity optical transmission systems.

High-order mode direct oscillation of few-mode fiber laser for high-quality cylindrical vector beams

Generation of high-order modes with high quality is important for the application of cylindrical vector beams in fibers. We experimentally demonstrated high-order LP11 mode generation and amplification with a broad bandwidth in an all few-mode fiber laser. A wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) mode selective coupler (MSC) is proposed to achieve efficient mode conversion from LP01 mode to LP11 mode, but also combine high-order LP11 modes at the wavelengths of 980/1550 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the high-order mode oscillation in an all few-mode fiber laser. LP11 mode and cylindrical vector beams including radially and azimuthally polarized beams are obtained with high modal purity. The purity of the generated high-order modes are all in excess of 95%.

High efficiency all-fiber cylindrical vector beam laser using a long-period fiber grating.

We demonstrate a novel all-fiber laser generating cylindrical vector beams with high slope efficiency and low threshold by introducing a long-period fiber grating into the laser cavity. Highly efficient mode conversion is realized by an LPFG at ∼1548 nm. Mode selection and spectrum filtering are achieved in combination with a two-mode fiber Bragg grating (TM-FBG). The fiber laser operates at a single wavelength of 1547.95nm with a 30dB linewidth of less than 0.18nm and a side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of more than 56dB. The lasing threshold and slope efficiency of the laser are 24.5mW and 35.41%, respectively. The output power is 72mW with an absorbed pump power of 225mW. The variation of slope efficiency with respect to the reflectivity of the TM-FBG is investigated. Through adjusting the intra-cavity polarization controller, high-purity radially and azimuthally polarized beams are both obtained.

Dynamic LP01–LP11 Mode Conversion by a Tilted Binary Phase Plate

We propose and demonstrate efficient $\text{LP}_{01}-\text{ LP}_{11}$ selective mode conversion over a wide spectral range based on tilted binary phase plate. Due to the extended optical path length of the transverse wave through the tilted phase plate, the matched wavelength for efficient mode conversion can be tuned toward longer wavelength by controlling the tilt angle. In the mode profile characterization, the mode purity of the output $\text{LP}_{11}$ beam profile has been theoretically analyzed based on the difference in peak intensities between the two lobes of the $\text{LP}_{11}$ mode. The presented model is used for determining the $\text{LP}_{01}:\text{LP}_{11}$ ratio of an impure $\text{LP}_{11}$ mode in the experiment. The proposed instrument is a simple yet powerful tool for efficient mode conversion in SDM communication network.

Transmodal Fabry-Pérot Resonance: Theory and Realization with Elastic Metamaterials.

We discovered a new transmodal Fabry-Pérot resonance where one elastic-wave mode is maximally transmitted to another. It occurs when the phase difference of two dissimilar modes through an anisotropic layer becomes odd multiples of π under the reflection-free and weak mode-coupling assumptions. Unlike the well-established Fabry-Pérot resonance, the transmodal resonance must involve two coupled elastic waves between longitudinal and shear modes. The investigation into the origin of wiggly transmodal transmission spectra suggests that efficient broadband mode conversion can be achieved if the media satisfy the structural stability condition to some degree. The new resonance mechanism, also experimentally characterized, opens up new possibilities for manipulating elastic wave modes as an effective alternative to generating shear-mode ultrasound.

Efficient pre-ionization by direct X-B mode conversion in VEST

Pre-ionization experiments with pure toroidal field have been carried out in VEST (Versatile Experiment Spherical Torus) to investigate the feasibility of direct XB mode conversion from perpendicular LFS (Low Field Side) injection for efficient pre-ionization. Pre-ionization plasmas are studied by measuring the electron density and temperature profiles with respect to microwave power and toroidal field strength, and 2D full wave cold plasma simulation using the COMSOL Multiphysics is performed for the comparison. It is experimentally figured out that exceeding the threshold microwave power (>3 kW), the parametric decay and localized collisional heating is observed near the UHR (Upper Hybrid Resonance), and the efficient XB mode conversion can be achieved in both short density scale length (Ln) and magnetic scale length (LB) region positioned at outboard and inboard sides, respectively. From the 2D full wave simulations, the reflection and tunneling of X-wave near the R-cutoff layer according to the measured electron density profiles are analyzed with electric field polarization and power flow. Threshold electric field and wave power density for parametric decay are evaluated at least more than 4.8 × 104 V/m and 100 W/cm2, respectively. This study shows that efficient pre-ionization schemes using direct XB mode conversion can be realized by considering the key factors such as Ln, LB, and transmitted wave power at the UHR. Application to Ohmic start-up experiment is carried out to confirm the effect of the pre-ionization schemes on tokamak plasma start-up in VEST.

Strongly Confined Spoof Surface Plasmon Polaritons Waveguiding Enabled by Planar Staggered Plasmonic Waveguides.

We demonstrate a novel route to achieving highly efficient and strongly confined spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) waveguides at subwavelength scale enabled by planar staggered plasmonic waveguides (PSPWs). The structure of these new waveguides consists of an ultrathin metallic strip with periodic subwavelength staggered double groove arrays supported by a flexible dielectric substrate, leading to unique staggered EM coupling and waveguiding phenomenon. The spoof SPP propagation properties, including dispersion relations and near field distributions, are numerically investigated. Furthermore, broadband coplanar waveguide (CPW) to planar staggered plasmonic waveguide (PSPW) transitions are designed to achieve smooth momentum matching and highly efficient spoof SPP mode conversion. By applying these transitions, a CPW-PSPW-CPW structure is designed, fabricated and measured to verify the PSPW’s propagation performance at microwave frequencies. The investigation results show the proposed PSPWs have excellent performance of deep subwavelength spoof SPPs confinement, long propagation length and low bend loss, as well as great design flexibility to engineer the propagation properties by adjusting their geometry dimensions and material parameters. Our work opens up a new avenue for development of various advanced planar integrated plasmonic devices and circuits in microwave and terahertz regimes.

High-power transverse-mode-switchable all-fiber picosecond MOPA.

A high-power transverse-mode-switchable all-fiber picosecond laser in a master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) configuration is demonstrated. The master oscillator is a gain-switched laser diode delivering picosecond pulses with 25 MHz repetition rate at the wavelength of 1.06 μm. After multi-stage amplification in ytterbium-doped fibers, the average output power is scaled to 117 W. A mechanical long-period grating is employed as a fiber mode convertor to achieve controllable conversion from the fundamental (LP01) to the second-order (LP11) mode. Efficient mode conversion is demonstrated and the output characteristics for both modes are investigated. It is shown that LP01 and LP11 modes have nearly identical optical-to-optical conversion efficiency during amplification, but the nonlinear spectral degradation is significantly alleviated for LP11 mode operation. Owing to the compact all-fiber architecture, this high-power transverse-mode-switchable fiber laser is reliable during long-term operation and thus promising for many practical applications, e.g. high-resolution laser micro-processing.

Power Combiner for High Power Cerenkov Devices

Two Cherenkov devices are effectively combined using a circular waveguide T-junction in a simulation study. The microwave sources are driven by the same high voltage pulser to prevent phase difference at the output of the power combiner. This passive power combiner not only combines the microwave power, but also outputs a Gaussian beam when a TM01 mode is used as the input. An efficient serpentine mode converter has been used as the basis of the power combiner design where the fields sum up at the common section of the two mode converters. A combined summation/conversion efficiency was $\sim 90$ % when the output power was more than 1.8 times the input power with a Gaussian output pattern. The combined microwave power was more than 600 MW at 10.2 GHz.

Deep-subwavelength plasmonic mode converter with large size reduction for Si-wire waveguide

If we are to utilize deep-subwavelength plasmonic waveguides in photonic integrated circuit applications, highly efficient three-dimensional (3D) mode conversion must be achieved between deep-subwavelength plasmonic waveguides and conventional dielectric waveguides such as Si-wire waveguides. Here, we describe 3D mode conversion from a Si-wire waveguide (the core size is 400 nm×200 nm) to a plasmonic slot waveguide (the air core size is 50 nm×20 nm) with a coupling loss of 1.7 dB. Our mode converter has only a two-dimensional laterally tapered structure even with the presence of a large discontinuity in the thickness, and can still produce efficient full 3D mode conversion with a very short taper length (600 nm). Calculation results obtained with the finite element method agreed well with the experimental results. We believe our mode converter will provide a new deep-subwavelength photonic platform.

Fishbone-Like High-Efficiency Low-Pass Plasmonic Filter Based on Double-Layered Conformal Surface Plasmons

In this work, we report a fishbone-like high-efficiency low-pass plasmonic filter based on a double-layered conformal surface plasmon waveguide (CSPW) which consists of double-layered symmetrical metal gratings (SMGs) of fishbone shape. Efficient mode conversion between the quasi-transverse electromagnetic (TEM) waves in the microstrip line and the conformal surface plasmons (CSPs) on the double-layered CSPW is realized by using gradient double-layered SMGs and impedance matching technique. Experimental results of the transmission and reflection coefficients of the straight sample show excellent loss-pass performance and agree well with the numerical simulations. The curved samples exhibit low radiation loss when the double-layered CSPW is conformal or even bent thanks to the high confinement of CSPs. The proposed structure can find potential applications in integrating conventional circuits with CSPs devices at microwave and terahertz frequencies.

Novel adiabatic tapered couplers for active III-V/SOI devices fabricated through transfer printing.

We present the design of two novel adiabatic tapered coupling structures that allow efficient and alignment tolerant mode conversion between a III-V membrane waveguide and a single-mode SOI waveguide in active heterogeneously integrated devices. Both proposed couplers employ a broad intermediate waveguide to facilitate highly alignment tolerant coupling. This robustness is needed to comply with the current misalignment tolerance requirements for high-throughput transfer printing. The proposed coupling structures are expected to pave the way for transfer-printing-based heterogeneous integration of active III-V devices such as semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs), photodetectors, electro-absorption modulators (EAMs) and single wavelength lasers on silicon photonic integrated circuits.

Efficient mode conversion in an optical nanoantenna mediated by quantum emitters.

Converting signals at low intensities between different electromagnetic modes is an asset for future information technologies. In general, slightly asymmetric optical nanoantennas enable the coupling between bright and dark modes that they sustain. However, the conversion efficiency might be very low. Here, we show that the additional incorporation of a quantum emitter allows us to tremendously enhance this efficiency. The enhanced local density of states cycles the quantum emitter between its upper and lower level at an extremely high rate, hence converting the energy very efficiently. The process is robust with respect to possible experimental tolerances, and adds a new ingredient to be exploited while studying and applying coupling phenomena in optical nanosystems.

Realization of a compact polarization splitter-rotator on silicon.

A novel compact polarization splitter-rotator (PSR) is proposed and realized with silicon-on-insulator nanowires. The present PSR consists of an adiabatic taper, an asymmetric directional coupler (ADC), and a multimode interference (MMI) mode filter. The adiabatic taper enables an efficient mode conversion from the launched TM0 mode to the TE1 mode in a wide waveguide, which is then coupled to the TE0 mode of a narrow waveguide through the ADC. Meanwhile, the launched TE0 mode does not have mode conversion and outputs from the through port directly. The MMI mode filter is cascaded at the through port to filter out the residual power of the TE1 mode so that the extinction ratio of the PSR is improved greatly. The total length of the PSR is ∼70 μm and the fabricated PSR has an extinction ratio of ∼20 dB over a broadband ranging from 1547 to 1597nm.

Ideal, constant-loss nanophotonic mode converter using a Lagrangian approach.

Coupling light between an optical fiber and a silicon nanophotonic waveguide is a challenge facing the field of silicon photonics to which various mode converters have been proposed. Inverted tapers stand out as a practical solution enabling efficient and broadband mode conversion. Current design approaches often use linearly-shaped tapers and two dimensional approximations; however, these approaches have not been rigorously verified and there is not an overarching design framework to guide the design process. Here, using a Lagrangian formulation, we propose an original, constant-loss framework for designing shape-controlled photonic devices and apply this formalism to derive an ideal constant-loss taper (CLT). We specifically report on the experimental demonstration of a fabrication-tolerant, 15-µm-long CLT coupler, that produces 0.56 dB fiber-chip coupling efficiency, the highest efficiency-per-length ratio ever reported.