Characteristics of a 1 × 2 multimode interference splitter based on low-loss InP/InGaAsP ridge waveguide for photonic integration

Abstract

A low-loss 1 × 2 multimode interference (MMI) power splitter based on the InP/InGaAsP ridge waveguide structure is designed and fabricated for photonic integration applications. The device parameters are optimized by the Variational Finite-Difference Time-Domain Solver (Variational FDTD), and the prototype is fabricated in accordance with the simulation results. The proposed MMI splitter exhibits a wide operating bandwidth and excellent power uniformity around the wavelength of 1550 nm, with an insertion loss lower than 4 dB and a power uniformity better than 0.05 dB. This device is well-suited for integrated light source systems in high-speed dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical networks.