Compact and tunable broadband polarization splitter based on nematic liquid crystal infiltrated dual-core photonic crystal fiber

Abstract

A compact and broadband polarization splitter is proposed based on nematic liquid crystal infiltrated dual-core photonic crystal fiber having a simpler hexagonal platform. The infiltration of the nematic liquid crystal in the properly optimized structure largely increases the mode birefringence (0.013491), which helps the splitter to attain a compact length of 71.35 µm. Also, the proposed splitter has a broad bandwidth of 356 nm (1285 nm to 1641 nm) keeping a better extinction ratio than -20 dB, covering all the O-E-S-C-L-U optical communication bands, and the minimum extinction ratio is -83.34 dB at the wavelength of 1550 nm. Moreover, nematic liquid crystal of E7 material enables temperature tuning of the device within the wavelengths of 1200 nm to 1650 nm; hence, bandwidth is extended to 450 nm. The compact design along with broadband and temperature tuning properties make the device interesting and it may find diverse applications in optical communication.