1  ×  5 polarization-independent photonic crystal power splitters designed by the particle swarm optimization algorithm

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Optical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Photonic crystals offer unique light manipulation properties.
• Efficient power splitters are crucial for optical communication and integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and demonstrate a polarization-independent 1x5 power splitter using photonic crystals.
• To achieve controllable and uniform power distribution for both TE and TM polarizations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a photonic crystal waveguide structure with engineered air holes.
• Employed particle swarm optimization for reverse-design of air hole parameters.
• Analyzed performance across 1545-1555 nm wavelength range.

Main Results:

• Achieved polarization-independent operation with <1.2 dB additional loss for TE/TM modes.
• Demonstrated high splitting uniformity (<1.1 dB) for equal splitters.
• Obtained low mean square errors (<2x10^-4) for unequal splitters.
• Reported response times <1.1 ps.

Conclusions:

• The designed photonic crystal power splitter offers a designable splitting ratio and compact size.
• The device exhibits polarization-independent transmission, suitable for all-optical networks and high-density photon integration.