Title :
A manufacturable technique for implementing low-loss self-imaging waveguide beamsplitters
Author :
Tayag, Tristan J. ; Mackle, D.M. ; Bryant, Garnett W.
Author_Institution :
Army Res. Lab., Adelphi, MD, USA
Abstract :
A manufacturable technique to implement self-imaging waveguide beamsplitters is proposed and demonstrated. This technique offers low insertion loss and polarization crosstalk, uniform splitting ratios, ease in manufacture, and most importantly application to diverse waveguide material systems. Beamsplitters with splitting ratios that range from 1/spl times/2 through 1/spl times/17 were fabricated in GaAs-AlGaAs waveguides. For 1/spl times/16 splitters integrated with an output ridge waveguide array, the insertion losses in many devices were less than the insertion losses in adjacent straight-through ridge waveguides. The best uniformity spread among the 16 channels was 17.8% and the TE-to-TM and TM-to-TE polarization crosstalks were lower than -25 dB.<>
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium arsenide; integrated optics; light polarisation; optical crosstalk; optical elements; optical fabrication; optical losses; optical waveguide components; optical waveguides; ridge waveguides; 1/spl times/16 splitters; GaAs-AlGaAs; GaAs-AlGaAs waveguides; TE-to-TM polarization crosstalks; TM-to-TE polarization crosstalks; diverse waveguide material systems; insertion loss; insertion losses; low-loss self-imaging waveguide beamsplitters; manufacturable technique; output ridge waveguide array; polarization crosstalk; splitting ratios; straight-through ridge waveguides; uniform splitting ratio; uniformity spread; Crosstalk; Etching; Insertion loss; Magnetic films; Manufacturing; Optical films; Optical reflection; Polarization; Semiconductor films; Semiconductor waveguides;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
