Passive broadband silicon-on-insulator polarization splitter

We present the implementation of a novel wavelength independent polarization splitter on a silicon-on-insulator platform. The waveguide splitter is based on a zero-order arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) configuration. The splitting function is realized by employing cladding stress-induced birefringence. The device demonstrated a TE to TM splitting ratio better than -15 dB over a 20 nm tuning range centered around lambda=1550 nm and better than -10 dB over our entire accessible wavelength range from lambda=1465 nm to 1580 nm. The highest splitting extinction ratio achieved was -20 dB. To our knowledge, this is the first reported passive broadband polarization splitter based on AWG.