Ultra-Compact, High-Efficiency Vertical Meta-Grating Couplers for Meta-Photonic Integrated Circuits

Vertical meta-grating couplers (VMGCs), while essential for flexible spatial beam coupling in meta-photonic integrated circuits (MPICs), suffer from inherently low coupling efficiency that hinders broader applications. In this study, we introduce an improved adjoint optimization method with high computational efficiency and excellent optimization effectiveness. Utilizing this method, we demonstrate an ultra-compact single-polarization VMGC achieving 81.57% coupling efficiency with a 92 nm 3 dB bandwidth, and a dual-polarization beam-splitting coupler with over 52% coupling efficiency for both polarizations, a 3 dB bandwidth exceeding 60 nm, an ultra-high extinction ratio of over 26.4 dB, and negligible polarization dependent loss at 1550 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this achievement represents the best simulation record to date for a perfect vertical coupler without bottom reflectors.