Photonic crystal polarisation splitters

The design, fabrication, and measurement of an a-Si/SiO/sub 2/ photonic crystal polarisation splitter are reported. The device consists of a 10-period corrugated multilayer film and is made by a combination of sputter-deposition and sputter-etching processes. The measured insertion loss and extinction ratio at /spl lambda/=1.55 /spl mu/m are 0.4 dB and >40 dB, respectively.