Mode-insensitive 3-dB power splitter based on multimode-interference coupler. (April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sun, Shijie; Che, Yuanhua; Zhu, Mu; Lian, Tianhang; Sun, Xueqing; Wang, Xibin; Huang, Quandong; Zhang, Daming
• Is Part Of: Optics & laser technology. Volume 159(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-04
• Subjects: Polymer waveguide -- Mode-insensitive -- Power splitter -- Multimode interferometer coupler; Optics -- Periodicals; Lasers -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 621.366
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optlastec.2022.109017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0030-3992

Abstract

Highlights: The mode-insensitive 3-dB power splitter based on multimode-interference coupler is proposed. The power splitting ratio is ∼50 %:50 % with an imbalance power of less than 0.13 dB for three modes over C+L bands. The device can be fabricated by the in-house standard microfabrication process with a big fabrication tolerance. The presented 3-dB power splitter has widely applications in mode (de)multiplexing systems. Abstract: We proposed a broadband 3-dB power splitter based on multimode-interference coupler formed by polymer waveguide, which is insensitive to the arbitrary input modes, and demonstrated the operation functions of the design in the experiment. The design shows a mode-insensitive 3-dB power splitting for the E11, E21 and E12 modes with an imbalance power less than 0.11, 0.13 and 0.03 dB, respectively, over a 100 nm bandwidth that ranges from 1520 to 1620 nm. Our presented mode-insensitive 3-dB power splitter could find applications in mode (de)multiplexing systems where ultra-broadband power splitting is required.