All-optical wavelength conversion for telecommunication mode-division multiplexing signals in integrated silicon waveguides.

An all-optical wavelength conversion method for telecommunication-band mode-division multiplexing (MDM) signals is proposed in integrated silicon waveguides by using the four-wave mixing effect with a dual-mode pump. By engineering the dispersion profile of the integrated silicon waveguide, the phase-matching conditions are realized simultaneously for the TE mode and the TE mode of the MDM signal in the telecommunication band, and they can be converted to the idler modes simultaneously. In a 1.2-cm-long waveguide, the 3-dB conversion bandwidth reaches 58 nm with a conversion efficiency of -22.3  dB pumped by a 100-mW TE and 105-mW TE pump source.