Multi-functional photonic crystal fiber splitter for the two communication bands

A compact multi-functional dual core photonic crystal fiber (DC-PCF) is presented and analyzed. The proposed PCF has a small central hole filled with chalcogenide glass (As2S3). Further, the cladding region has six large holes infiltrated by nematic liquid crystal (NLC) in order to enhance the birefringence between the two orthogonal polarized modes. The proposed splitter is analyzed using a full-vectorial finite element method based on COMSOL Multiphysics software with perfectly matched layer boundary condition. The suggested design with a compact device length of 83.0 mu m can separate the two polarized beams with bandwidths of 30 nm and 64 nm for x- and y-polarized modes, respectively at a wavelength of 1.55 mu m. At the same device length, x-polarized modes with wavelengths of 1.55 and 1.30 mu m can be separated with bandwidths of 23 nm and 12 nm, respectively. If the device length is doubled to 166.0 mu m, the reported PCF can split the x and y-polarized modes at wavelength of 1.30 mu m with bandwidths of 23 nm and 38 nm, respectively. Additionally, the y-polarized modes at lambda = 1.55 and 1.30 mu m can be separated with bandwidths of 34 nm and 38 nm, respectively at a device length of 166.0 mu m. Therefore, the reported PCF can be used as a multi-functional device for polarization or wavelength splitting with good bandwidths and low crosstalks.