title: Silicon mode multiplexer processing dual-path mode-division multiplexing signals.
abstract: Great strides have been made in the optical interconnect for a mode-division multiplexing (MDM) system. The mode multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) is the crucial component for the MDM system. We propose and demonstrate a scheme that is different from the reported multiplexing schemes, mode MUX that tackles dual-path MDM signals simultaneously and avoids mode conflict. The performance is experimentally demonstrated by integrating the proposed MUX and DEMUX into a MDM link, with ∼1  dB of insertion loss and ∼18  dB extinction ratio over the C-band. Single-wavelength, non-return-to-zero on-off keying signals at 10 Gb/s carried on dual-path different modes are successfully processed with open and clear eye diagrams, and <1  dB power penalty are obtained.
authors.forename: Chunlei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Guanyu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xinliang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang