On-chip optical mode exchange using tapered directional coupler

We present an on-chip optical mode exchange between two multiplexed modes by using tapered directional couplers on silicon-on-insulator platform. The device consisting of mode multiplexing and mode exchange is compact with relatively large fabrication error tolerance. The simulation results show efficient higher order mode excitation and mode exchange. A low excess loss less than 0.5 dB and high extinction ratio larger than 15 dB over 10 nm wavelength range from 1535 to 1545 nm are achieved.