Monolithically integrated compact 281 µm long arbitrary polarization to TE transformer.

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Integrated Optics
• Nanophotonics

Background:

• Integrated photonics requires precise control over light polarization.
• Existing polarization transformers often lack efficiency or broad bandwidth.
• On-chip polarization manipulation is crucial for advanced optical systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel compact building block for integrated polarization transformation.
• To achieve efficient conversion of arbitrary polarization states to transverse electric (TE) polarization.
• To provide improved phase control for on-chip optical signals.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical analysis of the polarization conversion mechanism.
• Electromagnetic simulations to model device performance.
• Fabrication and experimental characterization of the integrated device.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated efficient conversion of arbitrary input polarizations to TE polarization.
• Achieved a low mode loss of 0.75 dB at 1.526 µm.
• Simulations predict <0.25 dB loss over a >40 nm bandwidth.

Conclusions:

• The proposed building block offers a compact and efficient solution for on-chip polarization transformation.
• The design exhibits excellent performance characteristics, including low loss and broad bandwidth.
• This technology enables enhanced phase control in integrated photonic circuits.