Abstract

The beam splitter and the beam combiner are key elements for optical communications, and the optical-waveguide hybrid coupler has been proposed for these functions by Izutsu, et al. [1]. This conventional waveguide hybrid coupler consists of symmetric and nonsymmetric Y-junctions connected directly. In each Y-junction, there are two types of normal modes, even and odd modes, traveling along the propagation direction. For the input symmetric Y-junction, the amplitudes of the field for both modes in two individual waveguides are the same; in the output nonsymmetric Y-junction, the fields of the even and odd modes are mainly confined in the wide- and narrow-arm, respectively. The input conditions will determine the outputs of the wide- and narrow-arm in the nonsymmetric Y-junction. In this presentation, we present a novel hybrid coupler structure based on antiresonant reflecting optical waveguides (ARROWs) to provide the same functions.

© 1996 IEEE