Silicon nitride waveguide polarization rotator and polarization beam splitter for chip-scale atomic systems

Gallacher, Kevin and Griffin, Paul F. and Riis, Erling and Sorel, Marc and Paul, Douglas J. (2022) Silicon nitride waveguide polarization rotator and polarization beam splitter for chip-scale atomic systems. APL Photonics, 7 (4). 046101. ISSN 2378-0967 (https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0077738)

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Abstract

The design, fabrication, and characterization of a silicon nitride waveguide polarization rotator and polarization beam splitter that operate with a polarization extinction ratio (PER) of ∼30 dB at the rubidium atomic transition of 780 nm wavelength are demonstrated. These polarization devices are fabricated on the same chip using a self-aligned process for integration of the rib and ridge waveguide structures. The polarization rotator is based on the mode evolution approach using adiabatic tapers and demonstrates a PER of ≥20 dB over a 100 nm bandwidth (730-830 nm wavelengths) with an insertion loss (IL) ≤1 dB. The polarization beam splitter is based on a cascaded tapered asymmetric directional coupler with phase matching between the fundamental and higher order TM modes, whereas the TE mode is separated by the through port. This provides a PER ≥ 20 dB with IL ≤ 1 dB over a 50 nm bandwidth for the cross port and a PER ≥ 15 dB with an IL ≤ 1 dB over an 18 nm bandwidth for the through port. These polarization control waveguide devices will enable photonic integrated circuits for saturated absorption spectroscopy of atomic vapors for laser stabilization on-chip.

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