Grating assisted optical waveguide coupler to excite individual modes of a multi-mode waveguide

Spatial division multiplexing (SDM) in the form of mode division multiplexing (MDM) in multi-mode (MM) waveguides is currently explored to overcome the capacity limitation of single-mode (SM) waveguides in data transmission technology. In this work a new approach towards mode selective optical waveguide couplers to multiplex and demultiplex individual modes of MM waveguides is presented. We discuss a grating assisted mode selective optical waveguide coupler and evaluate numerically its coupling efficiency. The approach relies on a grating structure in a SM waveguide which is used to excite individual modes of an adjacent unmodified MM waveguide via evanescent field coupling. The simulations verify that by using the grating structure and tailoring the grating period, light from the SM waveguide can be coupled selectively into the fundamental mode or any higher-order mode of a MM waveguide with high efficiency and low crosstalk to adjacent mode-channels. The results indicate the potential of the grating assisted waveguide coupler approach for future applications in on-chip photonic networks and the (de)multiplexing of individual modes of MM waveguides.