Transmission enhanced wavelength demultiplexer design based on photonic crystal waveguide with gradually varied width

Abstract

In this study, we propose the design of photonic crystals with linearly tapered waveguide such that waveguide width is gradually varied. Four drop-channels are included to implement wavelength demultiplexing applications. Here, a tapering of the waveguide has been chosen to localize propagating light within the desired positions. Afterwards, the corresponding drop-channels have been opened to confine the light with the targeted wavelengths. The designed structure consists of cylindrical alumina (Al2O3) dielectric rods and operates at microwave frequencies between 13.2 GHz and 15.3 GHz. An optimization algorithm is applied to enhance transmission efficiencies of the drop-channels and to minimize possible cross-talks between the channels by optimally modulating the position of the dielectric rods inside the channels which form cavity-coupling regions. The optimization algorithm is incorporated with the finite-difference time-domain method to evaluate the transmission efficiencies of the drop-channels for the instant designed structure. The physical mechanism of wavelength demultiplexing is related to slowing down and trapping of light in the tapered waveguide and its coupling to drop-channels for selected microwave wavelengths at different positions. Moreover, an experimental verification of the numerical analyses is demonstrated in the microwave regime and corresponding results will be shared in the conference. © 2019 IEEE.