Reconfigurable and low-loss three-mode optical switch based on Ψ-junctions and multimode interferometers
Abstract
A scheme for N- channel mode-division multiplexing (MDM) signal switching is proposed on a silica planar lightwave circuit. Specifically, we demonstrate a three-mode optical switch that adopts cascaded symmetric Ψ-junctions, Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) waveguides, and electrode phase shifters for thermo-optic modulation. The symmetric Ψ-junctions split the E 11 , E 21 , and E 31 modes into the E 11 mode and couple them back to their original modes. The MZIs act as the modulation arms of this three-mode optical switch. Fabricated via CMOS-compatible silica-on-silicon processing, the device enables low-loss switching of the three modes. At 1550 nm, when E 11 , E 21 , and E 31 modes are input individually, the fabricated switch exhibits an insertion loss (IL) of 3.7 ± 0.1 dB, an extinction ratio (ER) of 10.3 ± 0.5 dB, and a response time of
Fields of Study & Subjects
Photonic and Optical Devices
Optical Network Technologies
Advanced Fiber Optic Sensors
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Optics Letters
- Publisher
- Optica Publishing Group
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 524–524
- Publication date
- 2 January 2026
- Language
- EN