Silica-based 2 × 2 multimode interference coupler with arbitrary power splitting ratio

Saida, Takashi; Himeno, A.; Okuno, Masayuki; Sugita, A.; Okamoto, K.

doi:10.1049/el:19991363

Cited by 26 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 4 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Previous approaches [3][4][5] for realizing MMI couplers with arbitrary splitting ratios are generally not suitable for the silicon on insulator (SOI) platform because our simulations show that they have relatively high excess loss. Recently, we have proposed a new method for obtaining MMI couplers with arbitrary power coupling ratios on the SOI platform using a surface pattern technique [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

The design of SOI-MMI couplers with arbitrary power splitting ratios using slotted waveguide structures

Thanh

Cahill

2009

2009 IEEE LEOS Annual Meeting Conference Proceedings

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

The design of SOI-MMI couplers with arbitrary power splitting ratios using slotted waveguide structures

Thanh

Cahill

2009

2009 IEEE LEOS Annual Meeting Conference Proceedings

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Recently, their use as active devices has been investigated, and a variety of configurations have been proposed. The primary focus has been on the development of photonic switches 4-6 and tunable couplers 7,8 . Tunable couplers are particularly important in integrated optics because they allow the accurate setting of any splitting ratio.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tunable multimode interference devices

May-Arrioja

LiKamWa

2006

SPIE Proceedings

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A tunable multimode interference (MMI) coupler that operates by modifying the phase of the multiple images that are formed around the midpoint of the MMI section is demonstrated. The phase change is achieved by current injection, and therefore minimizing current spreading is crucial for optimal operation. A zinc in-diffusion process has been implemented to selectively define p-i-n regions and effectively regulate the current spreading by controlling the depth of the zinc doping. Using this process a tunable 3-dB MMI coupler has been fabricated. Our initial results show that the device can be easily tuned all the way from a 90:10 to a 30:70 splitting ratio of the optical power transmitted through the two output ports. We believe that further improvement on the device fabrication will lead to a more symmetric tuning response of the device. Nevertheless, the initial results are very encouraging since, to our knowledge, this degree of tuning has never been experimentally demonstrated in similar MMI devices. Furthermore, this device processing technique can easily be applied to a wide variety of semiconductor photonic switches that operate on MMI effects.

show abstract

“…However, the conventional MMI power splitter with two output ports can only obtain splitting ratios of 100∶0, 85∶15, 72∶28, and 50∶50 through adjusting the position of input and output ports [8,9]. Several methods have been reported aiming at an arbitrary-ratio MMI power splitter, such as butterfly-like MMI splitters [10], bent MMI splitters [11,12], MMI with computer-generated planar holograms [13,14], cascaded MMI couplers with unequal width [15][16][17], MMI splitter with cladding-filled gap [18], and multiple-arm MZI consisting of an active phase-shifting region placed between two MMI couplers [19]. However, all these methods suffer from relatively complex structures and large footprints.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Arbitrary-ratio 1 × 2 power splitter based on asymmetric multimode interference

Deng

Liu

et al. 2014

Opt. Lett.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Free choice of splitting ratio is one of the main properties of a power splitter required in integrated photonics, but conventional multimode interference (MMI) power splitters can only obtain a few discrete ratios. This Letter presents both numerical and experimental results of an arbitrary-ratio 1 × 2 MMI power splitter, which is constructed by simply breaking the symmetry of the multimode region. In the new device, the power splitting ratio can be adjusted continuously from 100∶0 to 50∶50, while the dimension of the multimode section stays in the range of 1.5 × 1.8-2.8 μm. The experimental data also indicate that the proposed arbitrary-ratio splitter keeps the original advantages of MMI devices, such as low excess loss, weak wavelength dependence, and large fabrication tolerance. [5,6], and ladder-type optical filters [7]. However, the conventional MMI power splitter with two output ports can only obtain splitting ratios of 100∶0, 85∶15, 72∶28, and 50∶50 through adjusting the position of input and output ports [8,9]. Several methods have been reported aiming at an arbitrary-ratio MMI power splitter, such as butterfly-like MMI splitters [10], bent MMI splitters [11,12], MMI with computer-generated planar holograms [13,14], cascaded MMI couplers with unequal width [15][16][17], MMI splitter with cladding-filled gap [18], and multiple-arm MZI consisting of an active phase-shifting region placed between two MMI couplers [19]. However, all these methods suffer from relatively complex structures and large footprints. In this Letter, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a compact arbitrary-ratio 1 × 2 power splitter based on a simple asymmetric MMI structure. The schematic of the conventional symmetric 1 × 2 MMI power splitter is shown in Fig. 1(a). TE-polarized light is, through the single-mode input waveguide (WG in ), transmitted to the multimode region, where MMI is excited. Then, the light is tapered into two single-mode output waveguides (WG up and WG bot ) symmetrically at the first two-fold image distance. Due to the structural symmetry, the splitter only allows uniform split of the incident light into two output waveguides, as indicated in the energy flux density Even though these corners contain little optical field, removing one of them will break the symmetry of interference, in accordance with the self-imaging principle [20]. Such asymmetric MMI, excited by asymmetric perturbation in the multimode region, will have a significantly different optical field distribution.The proposed asymmetric MMI power splitter is shown in Fig. 1(b). Compared to the conventional symmetric power splitter, the only difference is that the symmetry of the multimode region is broken by removing its bottom left corner (marked with a red dashed rectangle). Such a minor structural change causes a dramatic redistribution of the optical field [ Figs. 1(e), 1(f), 1(i), and 1(j)]. If the output waveguides are also located at the position of the first two-fold image, the power output from WG up will be greater than that from WG ...

show abstract

Silica-based 2 × 2 multimode interference coupler with arbitrary power splitting ratio

Cited by 26 publications

References 4 publications

The design of SOI-MMI couplers with arbitrary power splitting ratios using slotted waveguide structures

The design of SOI-MMI couplers with arbitrary power splitting ratios using slotted waveguide structures

Tunable multimode interference devices

Arbitrary-ratio 1 × 2 power splitter based on asymmetric multimode interference

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About