Ultra-compact photonic crystal based polarization rotator

An asymmetrically loaded photonic crystal based polarization rotator has been introduced, designed and simulated. The polarization rotator structure consists of a single defect line photonic crystal slab waveguide with asymmetrically etched upper layer. To continue the rotation from a given input polarization to the desired output polarization the upper layer is alternated on either side of the defect line, periodically. Coupled mode theory based on semi-vectorial modes and plane wave expansion methods are employed to design the polarization rotator structure around a particular frequency band of interest. The 3D-FDTD simulation results agree with the coupled mode analysis around the region of interest specified during the design. Complete polarization rotation is achieved over the propagation length of 12 lambda. For this length, the coupling efficiency higher than 90% is achieved within the normalized frequency band of 0.258-0.262. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America