Abstract

On-chip mode-division multiplexing (MDM) holds great promise to tackle a bandwidth crunch for optical communications and interconnects. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the mode-splitting by taking advantage of metamaterial engineering of bridged subwavelength gratings (BSWGs). The proposed mode-splitting consists of a BSWG based mode splitter, a mode multiplexer, and a mode demultiplexer. The designed device was fabricated using CMOS-compatible processes. Our fabricated device exhibits insertion losses of 0.99 and 1.8 dB in the case of manipulation of fundamental and first-order modes. The corresponding mode-crosstalks were tested to be −21.8 and −22.1 dB. The operating bandwidths were measured to be 84 and 100 nm with the mode crosstalk less than −15 dB. The proposed mode-splitting can be implemented as a promising candidate of mode manipulations for an MDM system.

Low-loss and broadband silicon mode filter using cascaded plasmonic BSWGs for on-chip mode division multiplexing

W. Jiang, J. Miao, T. Li, and L. Ma
Opt. Express 27(21) 30429-30440 (2019)

Compact and broadband silicon mode-order converter using bricked subwavelength gratings

Mengjia Lu, Chunyu Deng, Yu Sun, Dongyu Wang, Lei Huang, Pengcheng Liu, Dongdong Lin, Wei Cheng, Guohua Hu, Tong Lin, Binfeng Yun, and Yiping Cui
Opt. Express 30(14) 24655-24666 (2022)

Compact silicon-based on-chip wavelength triplexer using directional couplers with double bridged subwavelength gratings

Jingyuan Chen and Jinbiao Xiao
Appl. Opt. 60(30) 9587-9593 (2021)

Broadband dual-mode 3 dB power splitter using bricked subwavelength gratings

Mengjia Lu, Chunyu Deng, Yu Sun, Dongyu Wang, Pengcheng Liu, Dongdong Lin, Wei Cheng, Shangqing Shi, Tong Lin, Guohua Hu, Binfeng Yun, and Yiping Cui
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 40(3) 502-508 (2023)

Ultracompact silicon-based polarization splitter and rotator based on asymmetric directional couplers with subwavelength gratings

Jingyuan Chen and Jinbiao Xiao
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 39(1) 345-354 (2022)