Compact and high-performance dual-channel all-silicon polarizer

Abstract In this paper, a compact and high-performance dual-channel all-silicon polarizer (DCASP) is proposed, optimized, and validated experimentally. Device optimization is carried out via the finite-difference time-domain method and a simulated-annealing-particle-swarm-optimization hybrid strategy, enabling compact size, low insertion loss, high polarization extinction ratio, and wide bandwidth for both channels. Our presented DCASP is only 13.6 × 7.6 μ m 2 in size. From 1520 to 1600 nm, the insertion loss below 0.72 dB, polarization extinction ratio exceeding 24.67 dB, and crosstalk (CT) lower than −17.70 dB are measured for TE-pass channel, while the measured insertion loss is below 0.49 dB and the measured polarization extinction ratio exceeds 33.87 dB, and the measured CT is less than −22.05 dB for TM-pass channel.