Broadband transverse magnetic pass polarizer with low insertion loss based on silicon nitride waveguide

Abstract

A horizontally asymmetric transverse magnetic (TM) pass polarizer is presented. The device passes only TM mode and rejects transverse electric (TE) mode. The proposed device has an asymmetricity in the horizontal direction comprising a direction coupler region with a silicon waveguide, silicon nitride waveguide, and an air gap, all residing on silica. Between three equal width Si waveguides, we have one region filled with air and the other with SiN with unequal optimized widths. The device with its optimal dimensions yields an extremely low insertion loss (IL) of 0.16 dB for TM -> TM, while TE is rejected by an IL of >48 dB. The proposed polarizer is operated between C&L bands with a high extinction ratio and broadband width of about 110 nm. (C) 2018 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)