From Event: SPIE Photonics Europe, 2018
Bandwidth demands in optical communication systems are growing steadily and making Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) reach its limit. New multiplexing techniques are required in order to fulfill future bandwidth demands in next generation optical communications. Mode Division Multiplexing (MDM) has been recently proposed as good solution to increase aggregate bandwidth by multiplexing on the spatial domain. In this work we discuss the propositions of ultra-compact mode converters based on periodically perturbed waveguides. A corrugation (perturbation) is periodically inserted on one side of the waveguide. Each time the fundamental mode propagates through a perturbation a part of the incident light is transferred to the second mode. Around 5 periods are only needed to achieve complete power transfer, enabling for ultra-compact devices. Insertion loss below 0.5 dB and extinction ratio higher than 13 dB in the C-Band have been evaluated in a device with a total length of only 12 μm.
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Diego Pérez-Galacho, Carlos Alonso-Ramos, Delphine Marris-Morini, Vladyslav Vakarin, Xavier Le Roux, and Laurent Vivien, "Mode converters based on periodically perturbed waveguides for mode division multiplexing," Proc. SPIE 10686, Silicon Photonics: From Fundamental Research to Manufacturing, 106860R (Presented at SPIE Photonics Europe: April 25, 2018; Published: 22 May 2018); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2307700.