Tapered MMI splitters with unconstrained splitting ratio on a thick SOI platform

TL;DR

This paper systematically studies tapered multimode interferometer splitters on a thick silicon platform, creating a comprehensive library of low-loss, robust splitters with arbitrary splitting ratios through extensive simulations and experimental validation.

Contribution

It introduces a systematic design approach for tapered MMI splitters covering all splitting ratios on a 3 μm thick SOI platform, validated by fabrication and measurements.

Findings

Successful fabrication of splitters with SRs from 5:95 to 95:5

Low-loss operation confirmed across various splitting ratios

Design maps enabling tailored splitter configurations

Abstract

We have systematically studied multimode interferometer (MMI) splitters made from multiple tapered sections. The goal is to create a library of robust and low-loss splitters covering all splitting ratios (SR) for our silicon photonics platform based on 3 $\mu$m thick waveguides. The starting point is always a non-tapered canonical MMI either with general symmetry (canonical SRs 50:50, 100:0, and reciprocal ratios), with mirror symmetric restricted symmetry (canonical SRs 85:15, 50:50, 100:0, and reciprocal ratios), and with point-symmetric restricted symmetry (canonical SRs 72:28 and 28:72). Splitters of these three types are then divided into one to four subsections of equal length, leading to 12 possible different configurations. In each of these subsections, the width is first linearly tapered either up or down and then tapered back to its starting value ensuring mirror symmetry. For all twelve configurations, we carried out an extensive campaign of numerical simulations. For each given width change, we scanned the splitter length and calculated the power in the fundamental mode at the output as well as its relative phase. We then selected the designs with sufficiently low loss and mapped their SR as a function of either the change in width change or length, therefore creating systematic maps for the design of MMI splitters with any SR. Eventually, we selected and fabricated a subset of designs with SRs ranging from 5:95 to 95:5 in steps of 5% and validated their operation through optical measurements.