Title :
Tapered polymer single-mode waveguides for mode transformation
Author :
Fan, Regis S. ; Hooker, R. Brian
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Colorado Univ., Boulder, CO, USA
fDate :
3/1/1999 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
This paper presents a tapered polymer waveguide structure for coupling light between optical waveguides with differing geometries. Optical fibers, lasers, and other photonic integrated circuit components can be coupled with tapered waveguides. The polymer waveguide performs a mode transformation between different mode shapes and sizes. For example, the mode transformation can be from an elliptical laser diode mode to that of a circular optical fiber mode. The input and output of a tapered waveguide structure are analyzed, for the case of laser to fiber coupling, in order to determine the effect of misalignments on the coupling efficiency. Adiabaticity in waveguide propagation is discussed. The fabrication of our polymer waveguides is also described
Keywords :
integrated optics; integrated optoelectronics; laser modes; optical directional couplers; optical fabrication; optical fibre couplers; optical polymers; semiconductor lasers; circular optical fiber mode; coupling efficiency misalignments; coupling light; elliptical laser diode mode; geometries; lasers; mode shapes; mode transformation; optical couplers; optical fibers; optical fibre couplers; optical waveguides; photonic integrated circuit components; polymer waveguide fabrication; tapered polymer single-mode waveguides; tapered waveguide structure; waveguide propagation; Coupling circuits; Fiber lasers; Geometrical optics; Laser modes; Optical coupling; Optical fibers; Optical polymers; Optical waveguides; Photonic integrated circuits; Waveguide lasers;
Journal_Title :
Lightwave Technology, Journal of
