ARROW-type vertical coupler filter : Design and fabrication

Vertical coupler filters (VCF) exhibiting narrow bandwidth and low sidelobe levels have been designed and demonstrated. Narrow bandwidth filter response is achieved due to the strong asymmetry between the waveguides of the filter and the nondispersive characteristics of the anitresonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) structure. An ARROW-type VCF with a conventional parallel coupled directional coupler configuration with a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 1.36 nm and a maximum sidelobe level of -8.5 dB was fabricated using a compound glass consisting of SiO₂ and SiO₂/Ta₂O₅. The filter sidelobe levels were then further suppressed by using an X-crossing arrangement to provide coupling strength apodization along the device. The sidelobe levels of this modified X-crossing filter were suppressed to below -23 dB and the measured FWHM was 3.9 nm. The central wavelength of the reported filters are in the 1.55 μm region. The measured results are in good agreement with theoretical results from an analysis procedure that combines the coupled mode theory with the finite difference complex mode solver.