A slanted grating coupler for coupling a radiation beam between a
waveguide lying substantially in a plane on a substrate and an optical
element outside that plane is provided, whereby the slanted grating
coupler has a good coupling efficiency for medium or low index contrast
material systems. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing the slanted
grating coupler is provided. The slanted grating coupler comprises a
plurality of slanted slots extending through the waveguide core and being
arranged successively in the propagation direction of the waveguide. In
at least part of the coupling region, the size of the slanted slots in a
lateral direction, being a direction within the waveguide plane and
perpendicular to the propagation direction of the waveguide, is smaller
than the lateral size of the waveguide core. Successive slots are
displaced with respect to each other in the lateral direction. Radiation
incident from the waveguide on a slanted slot of the slanted segmented
coupler is partly reflected upwards at the interface with air. Part of
the radiation is transmitted in between or around the slots and
propagates further, until it reaches another slot.