A low loss high extinction ratio on-chip polarizer. The polarizer includes an input waveguide taper having an outer waveguiding region that widens in the direction of light propagation along at least a portion of the taper length, and a core waveguiding region that narrows in the direction of light propagation along at least a portion of the taper length, so as to selectively squeeze out light of undesired modes into the outer regions while preserving light of a desired mode in the waveguide core. An output filter section is provided to prevent light from reentering the output waveguide after being squeezed out. An integrated light absorber/deflector may be coupled to the outer waveguiding regions.

A polarization converter based on taking a high-order TE mode as a transition mode comprises a ridge waveguide (1) and a slab waveguide (2) that are arranged in double layers and varying in width, and a strip waveguide (4) which is varying in width. The ridge waveguide (1) is disposed on the upper end face of the slab waveguide (2), and is aligned with two ends of the slab waveguide (2). The right end of the ridge waveguide (1) and the slab waveguide (2) are connected with the strip waveguide (4) with the varying width. A TM.sub.0 mode enters from the left ends of the ridge waveguide and the slab waveguide, and is converted into a TE.sub.0 mode for output. On the contrary, the TE.sub.0 mode enters from the right end of the strip waveguide and is converted into the TM.sub.0 mode for output.

The invention relates to an optical coupling device for coupling a first waveguide, for example a multi-mode waveguide, to a second waveguide, for example a single-mode waveguide. The device is formed in a core layer and comprises a focusing structure (SF) capable of converting a light beam from a target mode of the first waveguide to a target mode of the second waveguide. The focusing structure comprises a plurality of trenches (T1-T4) made in the core layer to create a pseudo graded refractive index, itself able to convert the light beam from the target mode of the first waveguide to the target mode of the second waveguide.

The scope of the invention extends to a photonic circuit comprising a single-mode waveguide, a multi-mode waveguide and a device according to the invention for coupling the single-mode waveguide to the multi-mode waveguide. The multi-mode waveguide can comprise a surface coupling network in order to allow for coupling with an optical fibre.

A waveguide mode expander couples a smaller optical mode in a semiconductor waveguide to a larger optical mode in an optical fiber. The waveguide mode expander comprises a shoulder and a ridge. In some embodiments, the ridge of the waveguide mode expander has a plurality of stages, the plurality of stages having different widths at a given cross section.

A spot-size converter, a photonic device, and a method for fabricating a spot-size converter are provided. The spot-size converter is provided with a first end face and a second end face parallel to each other and comprises a substrate, an isolation layer, a waveguide layer and a cover layer that are arranged in sequence. The substrate is provided with a first recess that is exposed to its top surface and the second end face. The isolation layer is provided with a second recess and a third recess that are exposed to its top surface and the second end face; the second recess is provided with a plurality of first holes communicating with the first recess, the third recess is provided with a plurality of second holes communicating with the first recess.

An optical mode-size converter is presented, which includes a guiding portion, a first strip with a first refractive index, and a second strip with a second refractive index. The first refractive index and the second refractive index are higher than a refractive index of the guiding portion, and a section of the first strip and a section of the second strip overlap to form an evanescent coupling region. The optical mode-size converter further comprises a coupling layer disposed between the first strip and the second strip within the evanescent coupling region, wherein the refractive index of the coupling layer is larger than the refractive index of the guiding portion and smaller than the first refractive index and the second refractive index.

An optical device and a method of manufacturing an optical device, including a ridge waveguide second, and a strip-loaded ridge waveguide section, comprises applying two different protective layers and two separate etches at two different depths. The protective layers overlap to protect the same section of the optical device, and to limit the surfaces of optical device to exposure to multiple etches, except at edges where the protective layers overlap.

A method of fabricating a waveguide mode expander includes providing a substrate including a waveguide, bonding a chiplet including multiple optical material layers in a mounting region adjacent an output end of the waveguide, and selectively removing portions of the chiplet to form tapered stages that successively increase in number and lateral size from a proximal end to a distal end of the chiplet. The first optical material layer supports an input mode substantially the same size as a mode exiting the waveguide. One or more of the overlying layers, when combined with the first layer, support a larger, output optical mode size. Each tapered stage of the mode expander is formed of a portion of a respective layer of the chiplet. The first layer and the tapered stages form a waveguide mode expander that expands an optical mode of light traversing the chiplet.

A SOI device may include a waveguide adapter that couples light between an external light sourcee.g., a fiber optic cable or laserand a silicon waveguide on the silicon surface layer of the SOI device. In one embodiment, the waveguide adapter is embedded into the insulator layer. Doing so may enable the waveguide adapter to be formed before the surface layer components are added onto the SOI device. Accordingly, fabrication techniques that use high-temperatures may be used without harming other components in the SOI devicee.g., the waveguide adapter is formed before heat-sensitive components are added to the silicon surface layer.

Techniques for forming a facet optical coupler that includes a waveguide formed over a trench of a silicon substrate are described. The trench is formed in a silicon substrate and then filled with a dielectric material. The waveguide is patterned on the dielectric material over the trench such that the waveguide is disposed a distance from the first surface. A first end of the waveguide has a first size and a second end of the waveguide distal the first end has a second size different than the first size. A material of the waveguide and the first size define a mode size of the waveguide.