Integrated mode converter and multiplexer
AssigneesConsejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (Csic), Universidad De Malaga
InventorsDavid González Andrade, Aitor Villafranca Velasco, Pedro Corredera Guilén, J. Gonzalo Wangüemert Pérez, Alejandro Ortega Moñux, Robert Halir, Iñigo Molina Fernández
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Abstract
An integrated mode converter and multiplexer (/demultiplexer) combines a multimode interference coupler, at least one phase-shifter and a symmetrical Y-junction. The dispersion of the multimode interference coupler is engineered through subwavelength structures in order to achieve a very wide bandwidth. Several phase-shifter topologies for further bandwidth enhancement are disclosed, as well as architectures for multiplexing a greater number of optical modes.
Claims19
An integrated mode converter and multiplexer, comprising:
- at least a first monomode input waveguide adapted to receive a first input zero-order signal and a second monomode input waveguide adapted to receive a second zero-order signal;
- a multimode output waveguide adapted to transmit at least a first zero-order output signal and a second first-order output signal;
- a multimode interference coupler configured to split optical signals from a first input and a second input into a first output and a second output, and to induce a first phase shift between the first output and the second output;
- a first phase-shifter associated with the first output and the second output, configured to induce a second phase shift between the first output and the second output, the first phase-shifter comprising a first waveguide and a second waveguide, the first waveguide varying between a first width and a second width, the first waveguide at least having a portion thereof presenting a constant width, and the first phase-shifter comprising an arrangement of periodically alternated sections of a core material and of a cladding material, with a period smaller than a value of a shortest wavelength in a bandwidth of the mode converter and multiplexer;
- one symmetrical Y-junction arranged next to the first phase-shifter, configured to combine outputs of the first phase-shifter into the multimode output waveguide;
- and
- one region in the multimode interference coupler comprising an arrangement of periodically alternated sections of a core material and of a cladding material, with a period smaller than a value of the shortest wavelength in the bandwidth of the mode converter and multiplexer.
A phase-shifter comprising:
- a first waveguide;
- a second waveguide;
- and
- an arrangement of periodically alternated sections of a core material and of a cladding material, with a period smaller than a value of a shortest wavelength in a bandwidth of the phase-shifter;
- wherein the first waveguide comprises a first SWG delay and the second waveguide comprises a second SWG delay, the first SWG delay having a width different than a width of the second SWG delay;
- wherein the first SWG delay and the second SWG delay are respective arrangements of periodically alternated sections of the core material and of the cladding material, with a period smaller than a value of the shortest wavelength in the bandwidth of the phase-shifter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.