SILICON MULTIMODE PHOTONIC INTEGRATED DEVICES FOR ON-CHIP MODE-DIVISION-MULTIPLEXED OPTICAL INTERCONNECTS

In order to enhance the capacity of an optical-interconnect link with a single wavelength carrier, multimode spatial-division multiplexing (SDM) technology has been attracted lots of attention. For a mode-multiplexed optical-interconnect link, the functionality elements become quite different from the conventional ones because multiple modes are involved. In this paper we give a review and discussion on multimode photonic integrated devices for mode-multiplexed optical-interconnect. First light propagation and mode conversion in tapered waveguides as well as bent waveguides is discussed. Recent progresses on mode converter-(de)multiplexers are then reviewed. The requirement of some functionality devices used for mode-multiplexed optical-interconnects is also discussed. In particular, the fabrication tolerance is analyzed in detail for our hybrid demultiplexer, which enables mode-/polarization-division-(de)multiplexing simultaneously.