Open AccessDemonstration of a compact bilayer inverse taper coupler for Si-photonics with enhanced polarization insensitivity
Author(s) -
Arnab Dewanjee,
J. Niklas Caspers,
J. S. Aitchison,
Mo Mojahedi
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.24.028194
Subject(s) - bilayer , materials science , optics , photonics , silicon on insulator , optoelectronics , broadband , polarization (electrochemistry) , power dividers and directional couplers , inverse , silicon , physics , membrane , chemistry , genetics , biology , geometry , mathematics
We demonstrate a compact (30 μm long) broadband bilayer inverse taper edge-coupler for silicon photonics with a 1.7 dB coupling loss from a commercially available focused fiber with 5 μm mode diameter. We compare the performance of our bilayer taper with a conventional SOI inverse taper coupler and show that our bilayer coupler achieves between 1.5 dB to 2 dB improvement in the coupling efficiencies for both the TE and TM polarizations. The dimensions and fabrication steps for our bilayer taper are simple and compatible with standard foundry processes.