Microring-based 32-channel hybrid multiplexer for mode-/wavelength-division-multiplexing

A novel silicon-based hybrid multiplexer consisting of a mode (de)multiplexer and a microring-resonator (MRR) array is proposed and demonstrated for mode-division-multiplexing and wavelength-division-multiplexing system. The demonstrated hybrid multiplexer enables 32 channels by combining 4 mode-channels (TE0, TEi, TE2, TE3) and 8 wavelength-channel with a channel spacing of 3.2nm. For the hybrid multiplexer, the excess loss is ∼5dB, the mode-channel crosstalk and the wavelength-channel crosstalk are —20dB and ∼-30dB, respectively.