Polarization independent 1 × 3 equal optical power splitter based on self-collimation effect in two-dimensional photonic crystal

A polarization independent 1 × 3 equal optical power splitter (OPS) based on the self-collimation effect in two-dimensional (2-D) photonic crystal (PC) is proposed. Two splitter structures are introduced in the self-collimation 2-D PC, both of which have an air layer and a row of defect air holes. The proposed OPS is simulated using Rsoft software combined with plane wave expansion method and two finite-difference time-domain method. The results show that the beam for transverse electric (TE) mode and transverse magnetic (TM) mode can be self-collimated and divided equally into three outputs at the operating wavelength of 1310 nm. The transmission efficiencies are 95% for TE mode and 93% for TM mode, and the corresponding additional losses are 0.223 and 0.315 dB for TE mode and TM mode, respectively. The steady times are lower than 1.4 ps. The proposed polarization independent 1 × 3 equal OPS will have potential applications in optical fiber communication system.