WAVEGUIDE AND POLARISATION SPLITTER USING SAID WAVEGUIDE

Description

The birefringence of photonic platforms, that is, the difference in behavior of waveguide-based devices between electrical transverse polarization (TE) and magnetic transverse polarization (TM), represents one of the great challenges for development and expansion. integrated optics.
Regardless of the alternative followed (polarization independence or polarization selectivity), the difficulty arises when manipulating the birefringence of the waveguides used, either to equalize the response of the TE and TM modes or to make it so uneven that allow their separation. In general, most solutions are based on the incorporation of additional materials to the core material of the waveguide, or the use of structures with multiple layers or engraving depths. However, these alternatives significantly increase the manufacturing complexity of the devices.
Regarding polarization dividers, the different current configurations present serious problems when being manufactured, either due to a high sensitivity to deviations from the nominal designs, which are unavoidable during the manufacturing process, or because they require geometries or auxiliary elements that they cannot be implemented by standard commercial photonic chip manufacturing procedures. Although there are new configurations that solve some of the problems, all increase the complexity in the manufacture.
The present invention solves the problems described above by means of a single-mode guide with a sub wavelength structure (SWG) that is rotated with an angle of rotation with respect to the direction of propagation of the guided light, which allows modifying the birefringence properties. of said guide. The single-mode guide described here can be integrated together with any other combination of devices in a photonic chip, and can be manufactured during the same exposure step as the rest of said devices.
In a second aspect of the invention, a polarization divider system based on selective directional coupling in polarization is presented, constituted from the modified birefringence single-mode waveguide of the first aspect of the invention.

Advantages

The waveguide structures of the present invention are capable of providing efficient, compact, and high-bandwidth polarization control, without increasing the manufacturing complexity of the devices.
The single-mode guide described here can be integrated together with any other combination of devices in a photonic chip, and can be manufactured during the same exposure step as the rest of said devices.

Uses and Applications

The present invention relates to the field of integrated optics, and more specifically to devices based on waveguides with sub-wavelength structures. It can have applications in optical communications circuits, in the manufacture of lasers, spectrometers for various applications, and biosensors.

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Patent Number

ES2736899B2  Expediente

Applicants

UNIVERSIDAD DE MÁLAGA, ESPAÑA. CSIC. CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTÍFICAS

Inventors

ROBERT HALIR , JOSÉ MANUEL LUQUE GONZÁLEZ, ALAINE HERRERO BERMELLO, ALEJANDRO ORTEGA MOÑUX, IÑIGO MOLINA FERNANDEZ, JUAN GONZALO WANGUEMERT PEREZ, AITOR VILLAFRANCA VELASCO

Filing Date

29/06/2018 

Protection Level: PCT application and international application

Processing Status: Spanish patent and international protection application