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Reflectionless grating couplers for Silicon-on-Insulator photonic integrated circuits
D Vermeulen1, Y De Koninck, Y Li
1Photonics Research Group, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University - imec, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Diedrik.Vermeulen@acacia-inc.com
Optics Express
|October 6, 2012
Summary
This study introduces a novel, inherently reflectionless grating coupler. The design redirects reflected light away from the entrance waveguide, improving optical performance on Silicon-on-Insulator platforms.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Optical Engineering
- Integrated Optics
Background:
- Grating couplers are essential for coupling light into and out of integrated photonic circuits.
- Unwanted reflections from grating couplers can degrade device performance and cause signal loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and investigate a novel grating coupler design that is inherently reflectionless.
- To provide design rules for this reflectionless grating coupler.
- To validate the design using numerical simulations.
Main Methods:
- Development of a novel grating coupler design concept.
- Explanation of the design rules for achieving reflectionless operation.
- Three-dimensional Finite-Difference Time-Domain (3D FDTD) simulations.
Main Results:
- The proposed grating coupler design effectively minimizes or eliminates back-reflections.
- The design focuses reflected light away from the entrance waveguide.
- Simulations confirm the reflectionless characteristics on a Silicon-on-Insulator platform.
Conclusions:
- The novel grating coupler design offers a significant advancement in integrated photonics by eliminating detrimental reflections.
- This design has the potential to enhance the efficiency and reliability of photonic integrated circuits.
- The validated design rules provide a practical guide for future development.
