Mixed-mode fiber array alignment and coupling to photonic integrated circuits
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Date
2025
Authors
Gradkowski, Kamil
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Published Version
Abstract
This study investigates alignment and coupling between a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and a mixed-mode fiber array, where one of the channels in the normally single-mode (SM) array is replaced by a multi-mode fiber (MMF). As a result, the tolerances of alignment are significantly relaxed. The proposed method suggests using the SMF at the input and the MMF at the output of the PIC. In such a transmission configuration, the tolerances are relaxed by a factor of √2 (41%). As this scales with mode size, the beam-expansion mechanisms, e.g., utilizing micro-lenses, can further significantly reduce the requirements for fabrication and packaging of photonic devices, making them more robust and cheaper to manufacture.
Description
Keywords
Edge couplers , Expanded-beam optical connectors , Micro-optical devices , Photonic integrated circuits
Citation
Gradkowski, K. (2025) 'Mixed-mode fiber array alignment and coupling to photonic integrated circuits', IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology. DOI: 10.1109/TCPMT.2025.3560722