Integrated on-chip polarizer

1. A waveguide polarizer, comprising:

an input optical waveguide capable of supporting a first mode and a second mode;

an output optical waveguide; and,

a mode-selective expander (MSE) extending optically between the input optical waveguide and the output optical waveguide and comprising:

a core waveguiding region disposed to receive light of the first mode and light of the second mode from the input optical waveguide, and

an outer waveguiding region disposed alongside the core waveguiding region in optical communication with the core waveguiding region,

wherein at least one of the core waveguiding region or the outer waveguiding region is configured to preferentially expand the light of the second mode from the core waveguiding region into the outer waveguiding region, and to propagate the light of the first mode along the core waveguiding region, while keeping the light of the first mode substantially confined within said core waveguiding region, for coupling into the output optical waveguide;

wherein at least one of the core waveguiding region or the outer waveguiding region is configured to filter at least one undesired mode from an optical signal propagating through the waveguide polarizer.

2. The waveguide polarizer of claim 1 wherein the outer waveguiding region is configured to attenuate light of the second mode expanded thereinto while allowing light of the first mode to propagate along the core waveguiding region substantially undisturbed.

3. The waveguide polarizer of claim 2 , wherein the first mode is a TE 0 mode and the second mode is one of: a TM 0 mode, and a higher-order TE or TM mode.

4. The waveguide polarizer of claim 2 , wherein the first mode is a TM 0 mode and the second mode is one of: a TE 0 mode, and a higher-order TE or TM mode.

5. The waveguide polarizer of claim 1 wherein the outer waveguiding region is greater in width than the input optical waveguide, and wherein the core waveguiding region of the MSE is smaller in width than the input optical waveguide along at least a portion of the MSE.

6. The waveguide polarizer of claim 5 wherein the MSE comprises a strip-loaded waveguide defined by the core waveguiding region and the outer waveguiding region, the strip-loaded waveguide comprising a layer of a semiconductor or dielectric material disposed on a support substrate, wherein said layer is thinner in the outer waveguiding region than in the core waveguiding region.

7. The waveguide polarizer of claim 6 wherein the first mode is a fundamental TE mode and the second mode is a TM mode or a higher-order TE mode, wherein the strip-loaded waveguide comprises an input taper section wherein the outer waveguiding region gradually widens in a direction of light propagation, and the core waveguiding region gradually narrows in the direction of light propagation.

8. The waveguide polarizer of claim 7 comprising a support substrate, wherein the strip-loaded waveguide is disposed upon the support substrate.

9. The waveguide polarizer of claim 8 wherein the support substrate comprises a silicon-on-isolator wafer comprising a silicon layer, and wherein the strip-loaded waveguide is defined in the silicon layer.

10. The waveguide polarizer of claim 1 wherein the MSE comprises an input taper section wherein the outer waveguiding region gradually widens in a direction of light propagation, and the core waveguiding region gradually narrows in the direction of light propagation.

11. The waveguide polarizer of claim 10 wherein the MSE comprises an output taper section wherein the outer waveguiding region gradually narrows towards the output waveguide and the core waveguiding region gradually widens towards the output waveguide.

12. The waveguide polarizer of claim 10 wherein the MSE further comprises a mode squeezing section disposed to receive light from the input taper section, wherein the core waveguiding region in the mode squeezing section is smaller in width than the input optical waveguide.

13. The waveguide polarizer of claim 10 wherein the outer waveguiding region gradually widens along a first length of the input taper section, and the core waveguiding region gradually narrows along a second length of the input taper section following the first length in the direction of light propagation.

14. The waveguide polarizer of claim 1 including an optical shielding disposed beside the MSE so as to prevent light of the second mode to couple into an external optical device and/or so as to shield the MSE from external light.

15. The waveguide polarizer of claim 1 wherein the MSE comprises a light absorber configured to selectively absorb light propagating in the outer waveguiding region thereof.

16. The waveguide polarizer of claim 15 wherein the light absorber comprises one of: a metal layer coupled to the outer waveguiding region of the MSE, a layer of light-absorbing semiconductor material coupled to the outer waveguiding region of the MSE, and a doped region of a semiconductor layer forming the outer waveguiding region of the MSE.

17. The waveguide polarizer of claim 1 wherein the MSE comprises a light deflector configured to selectively re-direct light propagating in the outer waveguiding region thereof away from the output optical waveguide.

18. The waveguide polarizer of claim 17 wherein the light deflector comprises one of: an optical grating formed in the outer waveguiding region or optically coupled therewith, and an auxiliary waveguiding layer optically coupled to the outer waveguiding region of the MSE so as to re-direct light propagating therein away from the core waveguiding region of the MSE.

19. The waveguide polarizer of claim 1 , wherein the first mode is characterized by a greater effective refractive index in the MSE than the second mode.