Wavelength insensitive integrated optic polarization splitter
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorMichael R. Watts
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated optic polarization splitter includes a pair of waveguide elements with a first waveguide element having a horizontal orientation and a second waveguide element having a vertical orientation formed from a plurality of waveguide core layers. The first and second waveguide elements are intersected or nearly intersected at one end of the structure and separated at the other end of the structure and the transition there between is made to be adiabatic. The waveguide elements receive an optical signal having both a TE component and a TM component. The TE component propagates along the horizontally oriented waveguide element and the TM component propagates along the vertically oriented waveguide element.
Claims18
An integrated optic polarization splitter comprising:
- an input waveguide element that is configured to input an optical signal having TE and TM components;
- a vertically oriented waveguide element having a height that is greater than its width, coupled to said input waveguide element, and configured to propagate said TM component of said optical signal, said vertically oriented waveguide element including a plurality of core layers;
- and
- a horizontally oriented waveguide element coupled to said input waveguide element, and configured to propagate said TE component of said optical signal,
- wherein (i) said vertically oriented waveguide element and said horizontally oriented waveguide element intersect or nearly intersect at an input end of the polarization splitter adjacent the input waveguide element, such that in use, no more than two guided modes exist at said input end, said two guided modes being limited to a fundamental TE mode and a fundamental TM mode, and (ii) said vertically oriented and horizontally oriented waveguides are separated at an end of the polarization splitter distal to the input waveguide element such that in use, the fundamental TE mode is substantially confined to said horizontally oriented waveguide element and the fundamental TM mode is substantially confined to the vertically oriented waveguide element at said distal end.
A method of splitting the polarization of an optical signal having TE and TM components, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an input waveguide element for inputting the optical signal;
- forming a vertically oriented waveguide element having a height that is greater than its width, coupled to said input waveguide element, and configured to propagate said TM component of said optical signal, said vertically oriented waveguide element including a plurality of core layers;
- and
- forming a horizontally oriented waveguide element coupled to said input waveguide element, and configured to propagate said TE component of said optical signal,
- wherein (i) said vertically oriented waveguide element and said horizontally oriented waveguide element intersect or nearly intersect at an input end adjacent the input waveguide element, such that not more than two guided modes exist when said optical signal is input at said input end, said two guided modes being limited to a fundamental TE mode and a fundamental TM mode, and (ii) said vertically oriented and horizontally oriented waveguides are separated at an end distal the input waveguide element such that at said distal end the fundamental TE mode is substantially confined to said horizontally oriented waveguide element and the fundamental TM mode is substantially confined to said vertically oriented waveguide element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.