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A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference
Published on: September 5, 2019
Polarization beam splitter based on a photonic crystal heterostructure
1Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0425, USA. Ethan.Schonbrun@colorado.edu
Optics Letters
|October 17, 2006
Summary
This study presents a novel photonic crystal polarization beam splitter (PBS) on silicon-on-insulator, achieving over 15 dB extinction ratio. It effectively splits TE and TM polarizations using unique band structure properties.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Materials Science
- Optical Engineering
Background:
- Photonic crystals (PCs) offer unique light manipulation properties.
- Polarization beam splitters (PBS) are crucial components in optical systems.
- Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platforms enable advanced photonic integrated circuits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and characterize a novel PC-based PBS.
- To achieve high extinction ratios for both TE and TM polarizations.
- To leverage SOI confinement for enhanced PBS performance.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a PBS on an SOI wafer with 5 µm ridge waveguides.
- Analysis of dispersion plots for TE-like and TM-like modes.
- Investigation of mode behavior near band edges and low-frequency regimes.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated a PBS with extinction ratio > 15 dB for both polarizations.
- Observed significant spectral shifts in mode dispersion due to SOI confinement.
- TE-like mode exhibited high reflection; TM-like mode showed high transmission.
Conclusions:
- The designed PC-PBS effectively separates polarizations.
- SOI confinement plays a critical role in achieving desired optical characteristics.
- This device shows promise for integrated photonic applications.
