We design two different compact and low-loss 2D T-junction optical mode demultiplexing by using objective-first inverse design algorithm. These devices are designed for transverse-electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM), separately. High device performances were achieved for the specific designs of 1×2, 1×3 mode demultiplexers with fractional footprints at the orders of a few microns. The presented T-junction 1×2, 1×3 devices operate at the C-band; the device has a footprint of 2.8 μm × 2.8 μm and 4.44 μm × 4.44 μm, respectively and splits TE/TM_0,1,2 modes efficiently. The modal efficiencies at the corresponding target wavelength of each vertically or horizontally aligned channels were obtained mostly to be nearunity together with minimal crosstalk ranges of around <-30 dB. The electromagnetic inverse design allowing the implementation of more than three output channels along with the novel functionalities will pave the way for compact and manufacturable 1xN couplers, which is of ultimate significance for integrated photonics.

Date Published: 3 September 2019
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 11089, Nanoengineering: Fabrication, Properties, Optics, Thin Films, and Devices XVI, 110890M (3 September 2019); doi: 10.1117/12.2527590

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 11089:
Nanoengineering: Fabrication, Properties, Optics, Thin Films, and Devices XVI
Balaji Panchapakesan; André-Jean Attias, Editor(s)