title: Fiber-to-waveguide coupler based on the parabolic reflector.
abstract: We present a fiber-to-waveguide coupling structure, the so-called vertical J coupler, based on the parabolic reflector. The device addresses the multiple objectives of high coupling efficiency, large bandwidth operation, polarization insensitivity, and compact footprint. The optical mode emanating from a fiber arranged normal to the plane of the substrate is incident underneath the parabolic reflector, turned through 90 degrees and focused into a dielectric waveguide. The viability of the coupler is demonstrated by finite-difference time-domain electromagnetic simulation as well as preliminary fabrication and optical testing of the device.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Delaware, 140 Evans Hall, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA. dillon@ee.udel.edu
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dillon
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murakowski
authors.forename: Shouyuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prather