Compact hybrid five-mode multiplexer based on asymmetric directional couplers with constant bus waveguide width

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate a hybrid mode division multiplexer (MDM) based on asymmetric directional couplers (ADCs) without transition tapers in between. The proposed MDM can couple five fundamental modes from access waveguides into the bus waveguide as the hybrid modes (TE₀, TE₁, TE₂, TM₀, and TM₁). To eliminate the transition tapers between cascaded ADCs as well as to enable arbitrary add-drop to the bus waveguide, we maintain the bus waveguide width to be the same, while a partially etched subwavelength grating is introduced to reduce the effective refractive index of the bus waveguide. The experimental results demonstrate a working bandwidth of up to 140 nm.