Design and performance evaluation of 1-by-64 multimode interference power splitter for optical communications

A 1-by-64 multimode interference power splitter in SiO/sub 2/ has been designed for use in fiber-optics communication systems. The splitter exhibits a minimum loss of 0.5 db and a uniformity of 1.7 dB at a wavelength of 1.55 /spl mu/m. The polarization sensitivity is below 0.14 dB, the reflection level below -55 dB, and the optical bandwidth 30 nm. The fabrication tolerances are /spl plusmn/0.1 mm on the length and /spl plusmn/3.5 /spl mu/m on the width of the multimode section of the splitter. In comparison with a branching-type splitter it is found that the designed device is approximately 30% shorter than the branching-type device for comparable losses.>