Graded-index core-based polarization beam splitters realized with symmetric polymer directional couplers

In this paper, we design and demonstrate polymer-based polarization beam splitters realized with parabolic graded-index (GI) directional couplers at 1550 nm. We design and investigate these beam splitters by using the beam propagation method (BPM) and the RSoft CAD BeamPROP solver is used for model design and characterization. We study the splitting ratio of 50:50 and 100:0 of these beam splitters for both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes of the polarized light. In particular, the 50:50 beam splitters exhibit an output efficiency of 95% due to the absence of polarization. However, in the presence of the polarization effect, the polarization dependency is analyzed and manipulated successfully, and the output efficiency increases by approximately 98% at an incident angle of 31 degrees due to the polarized launch field. Moreover, the 100:0 beam splitters act as the switching devices realized with parabolic GI polymer directional couplers. The insertion losses of the GI beam splitters are 0.162 dB and 0.186 dB, while the excess losses are 0.148 dB and 0.149 dB for TE and TM modes, respectively. Also, the polarization extinction ratio (PER) of the 100:0 beam splitters is >25 dB and > 20 dB for TE and TM modes, respectively. (c) 2023 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement