Fabrication-Tolerant Waveguide Chirped Grating Coupler for Coupling to a Perfectly Vertical Optical Fiber

We report the simulation, fabrication, and measurement results of a waveguide grating coupler that could efficiently couple light between submicrometer-sized planar waveguides and vertical optical fibers. The coupler comprises a section of chirped grating which reduces back reflection and enhances coupling efficiency. Coupling efficiency of over 34% was measured and a 3-dB bandwidth of 45 nm was obtained. An experimental study showed that the coupling efficiency was tolerant to fabrication process fluctuations which may lead to random variations in slot width and the duty cycle of the grating periods.