Compact Broadband Polarization Beam Splitter Based on Multimode Interference Coupler With Internal Photonic Crystal for the SOI Platform

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate a compact broadband polarization beam splitter (PBS) based on a multimode interference (MMI) coupler with internal photonic crystal (PC) for the silicon-on-insulator platform. The internal PC structure is optimized to be reflective to the transverse electric polarization and transparent to the transverse magnetic polarization over a broad wavelength range. A detailed study of the device operation, including the photonic band gap and the influence of the internal PC structure on each mode of the MMI coupler, is presented. The designed PBS has been fabricated using electron beam lithography and the feature size used in our design is CMOS compatible. The fabricated device achieves measured extinction ratios higher than 20 dB and insertion losses lower than 2 dB for both polarizations over a 77 nm wavelength range from 1522 to 1599 nm that covers the entire C-band, with a device length of only 71.5 μm.