Fast Adiabatic Mode Evolution Assisted 2 x 2 Broadband 3 dB Coupler Using Silicon-on-Insulator Fishbone-like Grating Waveguides

We report a novel 2 x 2 broadband 3 dB coupler based on fast adiabatic mode evolution with a compact footprint and large bandwidth. The working principle of the coupler is based on the rapid adiabatic evolution of local eigenmodes of fishbone-like grating waveguides. Different from a traditional adiabatic coupling method realized by the slow change of the cross-section size of a strip waveguide, a fishbone waveguide allows faster adiabatic transition with proper structure and segment designs. The presented 3 dB coupler achieves a bandwidth range of 168 nm with an imbalance of no greater than +/- 0.1 dB only for a 9 mu m coupling region which significantly improves existing adiabatic broadband couplers.