Polarization insensitive and low-loss coupling mode-size converter from super luminescent diode to silica-based planar lightwave circuit

We present a design of a laterally tapered optical waveguide mode-size converter from super luminescent diode (SLD) to silica-based planar lightwave circuit (PLC). The mode-size converter is based on silica-based PLC. By using three dimensional semi-vectorial beam propagation methods, laterally tapered waveguides with different boundaries are simulated and compared with each other, where the factors of polarization-dependent loss and coupling loss are mainly focused on. The results show that the most influential factor for polarization-dependent loss is the ratio of the divergence angle of SLD in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. The refractive index difference Δ between core layer and cladding layer, core width of endface and taper length influence coupling loss mostly, while the effect of all side boundaries is within 0.05 dB. We also investigate the SLD misalignment tolerance and wavelength bandwidth’s impact on coupling loss. Furthermore, we examine the performance of the mode-size converter based on a particular SLD which has a divergence angle of 30°×45°. By optimizing the parameters of the tapered waveguide, the coupling efficiency is increased to 62.4% and the polarization-dependent loss is reduced to 0.035 dB. Meanwhile, it eΔnables us to reduce the coupling loss variation to 0.05dB with core width of endface fabrication tolerance of ±0.5 μm and taper length tolerance of ±0.5 mm. The proposed mode-size converter has been demonstrated to be well performed, implying its application in the optical transceiver module using SLD as light source and hybrid integration of III–V semiconductor waveguiding devices and PLCs.

[1]  Ingrid Moerman,et al.  III-V semiconductor waveguiding devices using adiabatic tapers , 1994 .

[2]  Ingrid Moerman,et al.  A review on fabrication technologies for the monolithic integration of tapers with III-V semiconductor devices , 1997 .

[3]  Edgar Voges,et al.  Three-dimensional semi-vectorial wide-angle beam propagation method , 1994 .

[4]  Ma Hong,et al.  Superluminescent Diode Module Applied to Fiber Optic Gyroscopes , 2004 .

[5]  François Ladouceur,et al.  Single mode square- and rectangular-core waveguides , 1991 .

[6]  Qianfan Xu,et al.  Guiding and confining light in void nanostructure. , 2004, Optics letters.

[7]  R. C. Kistler,et al.  Efficient coupling of a semiconductor laser to an optical fiber by means of a tapered waveguide on silicon , 1989 .

[8]  O. Mitomi,et al.  A simple laterally tapered waveguide for low-loss coupling to single-mode fibers , 1993, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[9]  尤杨 You Yang,et al.  Progress of Study on Waveguide and Fiber Coupling Design , 2013 .

[10]  Guanghui Ren,et al.  Study on inverse taper based mode transformer for low loss coupling between silicon wire waveguide and lensed fiber , 2011 .

[11]  M. Kawachi.  Silica waveguides on silicon and their application to integrated-optic components , 1990 .

[12]  Nicholas C. Andreadakis,et al.  Integrated optic mode‐size tapers by selective organometallic chemical vapor deposition of InGaAsP/InP , 1992 .

[13]  T. Saida,et al.  Optical spotsize converter using narrow laterally tapered waveguide for planar lightwave circuits , 2004, Journal of Lightwave Technology.

[14]  Wang Zhanguo.  Applications of Superluminescent Diodes , 2010 .

[15]  Jinzhong Yu,et al.  Low-loss coupler between fiber and waveguide based on silicon-on-insulator slot waveguides. , 2007, Applied optics.

[16]  Andrea M Armani,et al.  Low-loss silica-on-silicon waveguides. , 2011, Optics letters.

[17]  O. Mitomi,et al.  Design of a single-mode tapered waveguide for low-loss chip-to-fiber coupling , 1994 .

[18]  Tsutomu Kitoh,et al.  Low-loss 1.5%-Δ arrayed waveguide grating with narrow laterally tapered spotsize converter , 2001 .

[19]  P. Studenkov,et al.  Efficient coupling in integrated twin-waveguide lasers using waveguide tapers , 1999, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.