Open AccessDemonstration of integrated polarization control with a 40 dB range in extinction ratio
Author(s) -
José Darío Sarmiento-Merenguel,
Robert Halir,
Xavier Le Roux,
C. Alonso-Ramos,
Laurent Vivien,
Pavel Cheben,
Elena Durán-Valdeiglesias,
Í. Molina-Fernández,
Delphine MarrisMorini,
DanXia Xu,
Jens H. Schmid,
Siegfried Janz,
Alejandro OrtegaMoñux
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
optica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.074
H-Index - 107
ISSN - 2334-2536
DOI - 10.1364/optica.2.001019
Subject(s) - extinction ratio , optics , extinction (optical mineralogy) , polarization (electrochemistry) , materials science , physics , chemistry , wavelength
Polarization controllers are key elements in many fields of optics, including coherent communications, optical imaging, and quantum applications. Here we present a technology-independent polarization controller scheme based on electrically tunable phase shifters and polarization rotators with largely relaxed fabrication tolerances. Using this scheme, we experimentally demonstrate a fully integrated polarization controller in the silicon-on-insulator platform that is tunable over the complete C-band and achieves a polarization extinction range of 40 dB (\ub120\u2009\u2009dB ). These results constitute, to the best of our knowledge, the highest polarization extinction range achieved in a fully integrated device, and overcome the existing limitation in the trade-off between integration and performance in polarization management circuits.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye