Broadband and compact silicon mode converter designed using a wavefront matching method

A broadband and compact TEO-TEI mode converter for a mode division multiplexing system designed using a wavefront matching method is realized. We present the first experimental demonstration of a silicon waveguide device designed by a wavefront matching method. In order to achieve broadband operation of the silicon mode converter, seven wavelengths are considered in its optimization process. The designed silicon mode converter is fabricated via a standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology, which enables low-cost mass production. Measurements performed using the fabricated mode converter correlate strongly with the calculated results. (C) 2020 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement