Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 24, 2025
09:43
Transmission of Multiple Signals through an Optical Fiber Using Wavefront Shaping
Published on: March 20, 2017
10.0K
Reconfigurable fiber-to-waveguide coupling module enabled by phase-change material incorporated switchable
Bishal Bhandari1, Sang-Shin Lee2
1Department of Electronic Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, South Korea.
Scientific Reports
|May 4, 2022
Summary
A novel reconfigurable fiber-to-waveguide coupling module enables both grating-assisted and end-fire coupling. This innovation facilitates wafer-level testing and broadband applications in silicon photonics.
Area of Science:
- Silicon photonics
- Integrated optics
- Optical communication devices
Background:
- Grating-assisted couplers offer wafer-level testing but have limited bandwidth.
- End-fire couplers provide broadband performance but require dicing, hindering wafer-level testing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and design a reconfigurable fiber-to-waveguide coupling module.
- To enable both grating-assisted and end-fire coupling within a single photonic circuit.
Main Methods:
- Designed a switchable directional coupler using phase-change material.
- Simulated individual components and assembled the reconfigurable module.
- Validated selective coupling operation through simulations.
Main Results:
- Achieved low excess loss (<1.2 dB) and high extinction ratio (>13 dB) across the C-band.
- Demonstrated selective operation for both grating-assisted and end-fire coupling modes.
- The module integrates both coupling methods effectively.
Conclusions:
- The reconfigurable coupling module offers a practical solution for flexible wafer-scale inspection of photonic integrated circuits.
- This design addresses the trade-offs between wafer-level testability and broadband performance.
- Facilitates efficient testing and deployment of silicon photonic devices.
