Silicon photonics 2  ×  2 trench coupler design and foundry fabrication

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Quantum Information Science
• Integrated Optics

Background:

• Silicon photonics enables miniaturized optical circuits.
• Efficient signal splitting is crucial for photonic integrated circuits.
• Frustrated total internal reflection offers a unique mechanism for light manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a 2x2 photonic coupler.
• To investigate its performance using frustrated total internal reflection.
• To assess its suitability for silicon photonic foundry processes and quantum applications.

Main Methods:

• Simulations using High Frequency Simulator System (HFSS) and Lumerical.
• Fabrication at AIM Photonics Foundry.
• Experimental validation of device performance.

Main Results:

• Achieved an equal split of input signals into transmitted and reflected paths.
• Demonstrated wavelength and trench thickness insensitivity.
• Reported good agreement between simulated and experimental results.

Conclusions:

• The developed 2x2 trench coupler is a robust component for silicon photonics.
• Its performance is stable across fabrication variations.
• It serves as an integrated photonic realization of a Hadamard gate for quantum computing.