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Bend-free multiarm interferometers on optical chips

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Abstract

Multiarm interferometers can enhance measurement precision and provide multiparameter capability to the measurement. Their realisation requires multiport beam splitters, which has been a long-standing challenge in free-space and integrated optics. Here, we propose a new type of multiport interferometers suitable for implementation on optical chips. Their prospective advantages over the standard directional-coupler architectures: an arbitrary number of arms, planar architecture and two orders of magnitude reduction in footprint, are achieved by the layout based exclusively on the finite modulated photonic lattices. The inverse design of photonic lattices is facilitated by restricting the light propagation to periodic patterns. The corresponding interferometer model predicts the maximum \(1/\sqrt{N}\) sensitivity scaling with the number of arms N. While the presented design solutions are ubiquitous to all implementations, the advantages are discussed in both the low and high refractive-index contrast platforms. Finally, we provide an outlook on the possibilities for the interferometer applications in distributed classical and quantum measurements.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, J. Petrovic, upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

J. Petrovic acknowledges support by the Berliner ChancengleichheitsProgramm (BCP). A. Maluckov acknowledges support by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, Grant No. 451-03-68/2022-14/200017.

Funding

Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, Grant No. 451-03-68/2022-14/200017.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Mike Petrovica Alasa 12–14, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Jovana Petrovic & Aleksandra Maluckov

  2. Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Rutherfordstraße 2, 12489, Berlin, Germany

    Nikola Stojanovic

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  1. Jovana Petrovic
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  2. Aleksandra Maluckov
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  3. Nikola Stojanovic
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Correspondence to Jovana Petrovic.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Photonics: current challenges and emerging applications.

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Petrovic, J., Maluckov, A. & Stojanovic, N. Bend-free multiarm interferometers on optical chips. Opt Quant Electron 54, 687 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-022-04048-1

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