Ultra-compact multilayer Si/SiO(2) GRIN lens mode-size converter for coupling single-mode fiber to Si-wire waveguide

We report on the fabrication and experimental demonstration of optical mode size transformation between standard single-mode fiber and 0.26 μm-thick Si-waveguide by 12 μm-thick Si/SiO(2) multilayer on-chip GRIN lens of lengths 16 μm or 24 μm butt-joint to 10 μm-wide terminated Si-waveguide. The overall coupling loss of the coupler was measured to be 3.45 dB in which the Fresnel reflection loss is estimated to be 2dB at the GRIN-lens/air interface. The on-chip integrated GRIN lens opens up the feasibility of a low cost passive aligned fiber-pigtailed electronic-photonics integrated circuits platform.