Patent ID: 9128242
Filing Date: 2015-09-08
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A mode-evolution compound converter for processing an optical signal, wherein the optical signal includes a first component having a transverse magnetic (TM) mode and a second component having a fundamental transverse electric (TE) mode, comprising: a set of converters connected to form the compound converter, wherein each converter in the set is a mode-evolution converter selected from a group including a polarization converter, a spatial converter, and combination thereof, wherein the polarization converter at least converts a mode of a polarization of at least one component of the optical signal, and the spatial mode converter at least converts a spatial mode order of at least one component of the optical signal, and wherein the spatial converter includes an asymmetric Y-shaped coupler having a narrower branch and a wider branch, wherein a width of the narrower branch is less than a width of the wider branch and selected for splitting the components of the optical signal and for converting the spatial mode order of at least one component of the optical signal, wherein the narrower and the wider branches are connected such that a distance between the narrower and the wider branches is increasing gradually from a common point of the narrower and the wider branches in a direction of a propagation of the optical signal.