High-Performance On-Chip Silicon Beamsplitter Based on Subwavelength Metamaterials for Enhanced Fabrication Tolerance
Efficient power splitting is a fundamental functionality in silicon photonic integrated circuits, but state-of-the-art power-division architectures are hampered by limited operational bandwidth, high sensitivity to fabrication errors or large footprints. In particular, traditional Y-junction power s...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-05-01
|
| Series: | Nanomaterials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/5/1304 |
| _version_ | 1797534039463165952 |
|---|---|
| author | Raquel Fernández de Cabo David González-Andrade Pavel Cheben Aitor V. Velasco |
| author_facet | Raquel Fernández de Cabo David González-Andrade Pavel Cheben Aitor V. Velasco |
| author_sort | Raquel Fernández de Cabo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Efficient power splitting is a fundamental functionality in silicon photonic integrated circuits, but state-of-the-art power-division architectures are hampered by limited operational bandwidth, high sensitivity to fabrication errors or large footprints. In particular, traditional Y-junction power splitters suffer from fundamental mode losses due to limited fabrication resolution near the junction tip. In order to circumvent this limitation, we propose a new type of high-performance Y-junction power splitter that incorporates subwavelength metamaterials. Full three-dimensional simulations show a fundamental mode excess loss below 0.1 dB in an ultra-broad bandwidth of 300 nm (1400–1700 nm) when optimized for a fabrication resolution of 50 nm, and under 0.3 dB in a 350 nm extended bandwidth (1350–1700 nm) for a 100 nm resolution. Moreover, analysis of fabrication tolerances shows robust operation for the fundamental mode to etching errors up to ±20 nm. A proof-of-concept device provides an initial validation of its operation principle, showing experimental excess losses lower than 0.2 dB in a 195 nm bandwidth for the best-case resolution scenario (i.e., 50 nm). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:23:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b1dedc1929c4c25a2323bf1f37072d8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:23:59Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b1dedc1929c4c25a2323bf1f37072d82023-11-21T19:48:37ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912021-05-01115130410.3390/nano11051304High-Performance On-Chip Silicon Beamsplitter Based on Subwavelength Metamaterials for Enhanced Fabrication ToleranceRaquel Fernández de Cabo0David González-Andrade1Pavel Cheben2Aitor V. Velasco3Instituto de Óptica Daza de Valdés, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, SpainInstituto de Óptica Daza de Valdés, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, SpainNational Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, CanadaInstituto de Óptica Daza de Valdés, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, SpainEfficient power splitting is a fundamental functionality in silicon photonic integrated circuits, but state-of-the-art power-division architectures are hampered by limited operational bandwidth, high sensitivity to fabrication errors or large footprints. In particular, traditional Y-junction power splitters suffer from fundamental mode losses due to limited fabrication resolution near the junction tip. In order to circumvent this limitation, we propose a new type of high-performance Y-junction power splitter that incorporates subwavelength metamaterials. Full three-dimensional simulations show a fundamental mode excess loss below 0.1 dB in an ultra-broad bandwidth of 300 nm (1400–1700 nm) when optimized for a fabrication resolution of 50 nm, and under 0.3 dB in a 350 nm extended bandwidth (1350–1700 nm) for a 100 nm resolution. Moreover, analysis of fabrication tolerances shows robust operation for the fundamental mode to etching errors up to ±20 nm. A proof-of-concept device provides an initial validation of its operation principle, showing experimental excess losses lower than 0.2 dB in a 195 nm bandwidth for the best-case resolution scenario (i.e., 50 nm).https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/5/1304photonic integrated circuitssilicon photonicspower divisionbeamsplitterY-junctionsubwavelength metamaterial |
| spellingShingle | Raquel Fernández de Cabo David González-Andrade Pavel Cheben Aitor V. Velasco High-Performance On-Chip Silicon Beamsplitter Based on Subwavelength Metamaterials for Enhanced Fabrication Tolerance Nanomaterials photonic integrated circuits silicon photonics power division beamsplitter Y-junction subwavelength metamaterial |
| title | High-Performance On-Chip Silicon Beamsplitter Based on Subwavelength Metamaterials for Enhanced Fabrication Tolerance |
| title_full | High-Performance On-Chip Silicon Beamsplitter Based on Subwavelength Metamaterials for Enhanced Fabrication Tolerance |
| title_fullStr | High-Performance On-Chip Silicon Beamsplitter Based on Subwavelength Metamaterials for Enhanced Fabrication Tolerance |
| title_full_unstemmed | High-Performance On-Chip Silicon Beamsplitter Based on Subwavelength Metamaterials for Enhanced Fabrication Tolerance |
| title_short | High-Performance On-Chip Silicon Beamsplitter Based on Subwavelength Metamaterials for Enhanced Fabrication Tolerance |
| title_sort | high performance on chip silicon beamsplitter based on subwavelength metamaterials for enhanced fabrication tolerance |
| topic | photonic integrated circuits silicon photonics power division beamsplitter Y-junction subwavelength metamaterial |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/5/1304 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT raquelfernandezdecabo highperformanceonchipsiliconbeamsplitterbasedonsubwavelengthmetamaterialsforenhancedfabricationtolerance AT davidgonzalezandrade highperformanceonchipsiliconbeamsplitterbasedonsubwavelengthmetamaterialsforenhancedfabricationtolerance AT pavelcheben highperformanceonchipsiliconbeamsplitterbasedonsubwavelengthmetamaterialsforenhancedfabricationtolerance AT aitorvvelasco highperformanceonchipsiliconbeamsplitterbasedonsubwavelengthmetamaterialsforenhancedfabricationtolerance |