Polarization-Independent Wavelength Conversion Using an Angled-Polarization Pump in a Silicon Nanowire Waveguide

• Published in: IEEE journal of selected topics in quantum electronics 2010-01, Vol.16 (1), p.250-256
• Main Authors: Gao, Shiming, Zhang, Xingzhi, Li, Zhiqiang, He, Sailing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: chip; Conversion; design; dispersion; efficiency; Electromagnetic waveguides; fiber; Fiber nonlinear optics; frequency-conversion; gain; laser; light; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Nanowires; Nonlinear optics; optical; Optical fiber polarization; optical frequency conversion; Optical mixing; optical planar waveguides; Optical pumping; Optical refraction; Optical signal processing; Optical waveguides; Optical wavelength conversion; planar waveguides; Pumps; raman amplification; Silicon; silicon on insulator technology; Waveguides; Wavelengths
• ISSN: 1077-260X; 1558-4542; 1558-4542
• DOI: 10.1109/JSTQE.2009.2034755

A proposal for polarization-independent wavelength conversion is presented based on four-wave mixing in a silicon nanowire waveguide using an angled-polarization pump. The principle of polarization independence is introduced and the theoretical model is established. The optimized incident pump polarization angle is obtained for different waveguide geometries, and a polarization-independent bandwidth of 64 nm is achieved with the efficiency fluctuation of less than 1 dB in a 285 nm × 650 nm silicon waveguide. The polarization-independent bandwidth is limited by the larger one of the TE- and TM-mode phase mismatches, and can be enhanced further by carefully tailoring the dispersion characteristics of the silicon nanowire waveguide.