Theory of an efficient N×N passive optical star coupler

A method for configuring an efficient N×N optical passive star coupler is introduced. It makes the construction of a one-piece coupler possible and thus eliminates the excess loss problem associated with cascade couplers and reduces the structural complexity. The authors show that a 100% efficiency figure can be achieved through the entire array by using a properly designed space-varying refractive-index slab. The authors give a mathematical analysis of the space-varying refractive-index slab and examine spatial frequencies of the required refractive-index pattern. The authors demonstrate how the wave-mixing method can be utilized as one possible method of configuring such a slab, using a constant temporal optical frequency involving nonlinear media such as photorefractive crystals