Silicon hybrid demultiplexer with 64 channels for wavelength/mode-division multiplexed on-chip optical interconnects

Abstract

A monolithically integrated 64-channel hybrid demultiplexer on silicon is demonstrated experimentally to enable wavelength-division-multiplexing and mode-division-multiplexing simultaneously for realizing an ultra-large capacity optical-interconnect link. The present hybrid demultiplexer consists of a four-channel mode multiplexer realized with three cascaded asymmetrical directional-couplers and four identical arrayed-waveguide gratings (AWGs) with 16 channels. For the fabricated hybrid multiplexer, the excess loss and the crosstalk are about -7 and -10 dB, respectively. Better performances can be achieved by minimizing the imperfections (particularly in AWGs) in the fabrication processes. The present hybrid demultiplexer is scalable to have more channels by utilizing more wavelengths, modes, and polarizations.

Broadband and fabrication-tolerant on-chip scalable mode-division multiplexing based on mode-evolution counter-tapered couplers

“…A two-mode MDM link exhibits a −1 dB bandwidth exceeding 180 nm, which is considerably larger than most of the previously reported MDM links whether they are based on modeinterference or evolution [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. In addition, its fabrication tolerance to device width deviation and scalability to higher-order modes are also characterized.…”

“…The crosstalk for the input from CH0, CH1, and CH2 are −20.5 dB, −15.9 dB, and −14.4 dB, respectively. Even though the performance is degraded when the number of multiplexed modes increases, ≤10 dB crosstalk is achieved for a wavelength range of 1.46-1.64 μm, showing potential for broadband hybrid multiplexing schemes together with WDM and polarization-division multiplexing (PDM) [4][5][6][7][8]. We believe it is highly feasible to extend this MDM scheme to higher order mode multiplexing when each multiplexer is carefully optimized.…”

“…In addition to the wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technology [1], the mode-division multiplexing (MDM) has also emerged as an efficient approach to further increase the transmission capability [2]. Many MDM architectures have been proposed and experimentally demonstrated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platforms based on asymmetric directional coupler (ADC) [3][4][5][6][7], multimode interference (MMI) coupler [8][9][10], adiabatic coupler [11], and asymmetric Y-junction [12,13]. The ADC-based MDM takes advantage of phase-matching condition in the ADC, so its coupling length is usually short, and it can easily expand to higher order mode multiplexing as well as combine with other multiplexing schemes [3][4][5][6][7].…”

10‐Channel Mode (de)multiplexer with Dual Polarizations

“…[32,33] A 64-channel www.advancedsciencenews.com www.lpr-journal.org hybrid (de)multiplexer was also developed to enable MDM and WDM simultaneously by integrating a four-channel broadband ADC mode (de)multiplexer and 16-channel arrayed-waveguide gratings (AWGs). [34,35] One might notice that most of the mode (de)multiplexers demonstrated previously work for a single polarization only (i.e., TE-or TM-polarization modes). [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Further increase in data transmission capacity can be realized if dual polarizations are introduced.…”

Widely Wavelength-Tunable Mode Converter Based on Polymer Waveguide Grating

“…Our device takes advantage of the effective mode-selective coupling mechanism of an LPG and the strong thermo-optic effect of polymer material for wavelength tuning. The large wavelength tuning capability of the device cannot be achieved with LPFGs [9], [10] and silicon waveguide couplers [13]- [15]. Thanks to the availability of a wide range of polymer material with controllable refractive index, polymer waveguides can be more easily designed to match the size of optical fibers and provide polarization-insensitive operation.…”