Mode conversion using optical analogy of shortcut to adiabatic passage in engineered multimode waveguides

A shortcut to adiabatic mode conversion in multimode waveguides using optical analogy of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage is investigated. The design of mode converters using the shortcut scheme is discussed. Computer-generated planar holograms are used to mimic the shaped pulses used to speed up adiabatic passage in quantum systems based on the transitionless quantum driving algorithm. The mode coupling properties are analyzed using the coupled mode theory and beam propagation simulations. We show reduced device length using the shortcut scheme as compared to the common adiabatic scheme. Modal evolution in the shortened device indeed follows the adiabatic eigenmode exactly amid the violation of adiabatic criterion. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America