Inverse design and demonstration of broadband grating couplers

TL;DR

This paper introduces a gradient-based inverse design method for broadband silicon grating couplers, achieving high bandwidths and efficiencies, and experimentally validating the designs with promising results.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel inverse design approach that optimizes broadband grating couplers without geometric constraints, surpassing traditional design limitations.

Findings

Achieved 3 dB bandwidths over 100 nm in simulations.

Demonstrated experimentally gratings with bandwidths exceeding 120 nm.

Maintained central coupling efficiencies between -3.0 dB and -5.4 dB.

Abstract

We present a gradient-based optimization strategy to design broadband grating couplers. Using this method, we are able to reach, and often surpass, a user-specified target bandwidth during optimization. The designs produced for 220 nm silicon-on-insulator are capable of achieving 3 dB bandwidths exceeding 100 nm while maintaining central coupling efficiencies ranging from -3.0 dB to -5.4 dB, depending on partial-etch fraction. We fabricate a subset of these structures and experimentally demonstrate gratings with 3 dB bandwidths exceeding 120 nm. This inverse design approach provides a flexible design paradigm, allowing for the creation of broadband grating couplers without requiring constraints on grating geometry.