Recent advances in mode converters for a mode division multiplex transmission system

Adopting mode division multiplex (MDM) technology as the next frontier for optical fiber communication and on-chip optical interconnection systems is becoming very promising because of those remarkable experimental results based on MDM technology to enhance capacity of optical transmission and, hence, making MDM technology an attractive research field. Consequently, in recent years the large number of new optical devices used to control modes, for example, mode converters, mode filters, mode (de)multiplexers, and mode-selective switches, have been developed for MDM applications. This paper presents a review on the recent advances on mode converters, a key component usually used to convert a fundamental mode into a selected high-order mode, and vice versa, at the transmitting and receiving ends in the MDM transmission system. This review focuses on the mode converters based on planar light wave circuit (PLC) technology and various PLC-based mode converters applied to the above two systems and realized with different materials, structures, and technologies. The basic principles and performances of these mode converters are summarized.