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Compact low loss and broadband hybrid plasmonic directional coupler
M Z Alam1, J Niklas Caspers, J S Aitchison
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Toronto, 10 King's College Rd.,Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4, Canada. muhammad.alam@mail.utoronto.ca
Optics Express
|July 12, 2013
Summary
We developed a compact silicon photonics coupler using hybrid plasmonic waveguides. This device achieves a 3-dB power split over a wide bandwidth with minimal signal loss.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Nanotechnology
- Optical Engineering
Background:
- Silicon photonics enables integrated optical circuits.
- Broadband couplers are essential components in photonic integrated circuits.
- Existing couplers often face limitations in bandwidth and size.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a novel broadband coupler for silicon photonics.
- To achieve a 3-dB power coupling ratio over a wide wavelength range.
- To minimize device footprint and insertion loss.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a hybrid plasmonic waveguide section within a silicon nanowire coupler.
- Introducing asymmetry to create a phase delay.
- Simulating and fabricating the coupler for performance validation.
Main Results:
- Achieved a 3-dB power coupling ratio over a 150 nm bandwidth around 1.55 µm.
- Demonstrated a compact device size of less than 8.5 µm.
- Obtained a low insertion loss of less than 0.15 dB.
Conclusions:
- The proposed hybrid plasmonic waveguide coupler offers broadband performance in silicon photonics.
- The device's compactness and low loss make it suitable for integrated optical applications.
- This design advances the capabilities of silicon photonic devices.
