Design of a Broadband Polarization Controller Based on Silicon Nitride-Loaded Thin-Film Lithium Niobate

Abstract

A novel design of a polarization controller based on “etch-less” Si₃N₄-loaded thin film LiNbO₃ is described. Broadband operation in the spectral range between 1.45 and 1.65 µm is achieved by using a mode evolution TM/TE splitter/converter, two mode evolution 3 dB couplers, and two electro-optic phase shifters. Numerical simulations show that a single TE-mode output can be adjusted by applying control voltages lower than 10 V for an arbitrary input polarization state.