Design, optimization and fabrication of an optical mode filter for integrated optics

We present the design, optimization, fabrication and characterization of an optical mode filter, which attenuates the snaking behavior of light caused by a lateral misalignment of the input optical fiber relative to an optical circuit. The mode filter is realized as a bottleneck section inserted in an optical waveguide in front of a branching element. It is designed with Bezier curves. Its effect, which depends on the optical state of polarization, is experimentally demonstrated by investigating the equilibrium of an optical splitter, which is greatly improved however only in TM mode. The measured optical losses induced by the filter are 0.28 dB. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America