Broadband focusing grating couplers for suspended-membrane waveguides

We propose and demonstrate broadband focusing grating couplers for suspended-membrane waveguides on silicon-on-insulator both in near-infrared (near-IR) and in mid-IR wavelength range. Finite-difference time-domain simulation predicts ∼100  nm 3 dB bandwidth with -1.7  dB coupling efficiency for an apodized grating in near-IR. -3.5  dB maximum coupling efficiency and ∼90  nm 3 dB bandwidth are realized experimentally. In mid-IR, -5.5  dB maximum coupling efficiency from a uniform focusing grating is measured at 2.75 μm, and ∼500  nm 3 dB bandwidth is predicted theoretically.