On-Chip Reconfigurable and Ultracompact Silicon Waveguide Mode Converters Based on Nonvolatile Optical Phase Change Materials

Reconfigurable mode converters are essential components in efficient higher-order mode sources for on-chip multimode applications. We propose an on-chip reconfigurable silicon waveguide mode conversion scheme based on the nonvolatile and low-loss optical phase change material antimony triselenide (Sb(2)Se(3)). The key mode conversion region is formed by embedding a tapered Sb(2)Se(3) layer into the silicon waveguide along the propagation direction and further cladding with graphene and aluminum oxide layers as the microheater. The proposed device can achieve the TE(0)-to-TE(1) mode conversion and reconfigurable conversion (no mode conversion) depending on the phase state of embedded Sb(2)Se(3) layer, whereas such function could not be realized according to previous reports. The proposed device length is only 2.3 μm with conversion efficiency (CE) = 97.5%, insertion loss (IL) = 0.2 dB, and mode crosstalk (CT) = −20.5 dB. Furthermore, the proposed device scheme can be extended to achieve other reconfigurable higher-order mode conversions. We believe the proposed reconfigurable mode conversion scheme and related devices could serve as the fundamental building blocks to provide higher-order mode sources for on-chip multimode photonics.