Coupled Mode Analysis

Chapter 4 Physics 208, Electro-optics Peter Beyersdorf

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Ch 4, 1

Class Outline
The dielectric tensor Plane wave propagation in anisotropic media The index ellipsoid Phase velocity, group velocity and energy Crystal types Propagation in uniaxial crystals Propagation in biaxial crystals Optical activity and Faraday rotation Coupled mode analysis of wave propagation
Ch 4, 2

The Dielectric Tensor

relates the electric eld to the electric displacement by

D= E=

0E

+P

In anisotropic materials the polarization may not be in the same direction as the driving electric eld. Why?

Ch 4, 3

Anisotropic Media
Charges in a material are the source of polarization. They are bound to neighboring nuclei like masses on springs. In an anisotropic material the stiffness of the springs is different depending on the orientation. The wells of the electrostatic potential that the charges sit in are not symmetric and therefore the material response (material polarization) is not necessarily in the direction of the driving eld.
Ch 4, 4

Analogies
What every-day phenomena can have a response in a direction different than the driving force?

Ch 4, 5

The Dielectric Tensor

The susceptibility tensor relates the polarization of the material to the driving electric eld by

P =
or

E 0 12 22 32 13 Ex 23 Ey 33 Ez

Thus the material permittivity in D = E = is also a tensor =

0

Px Py = Pz

11 0 21 31

0E

+P
Ch 4, 6

+ I

Tensor Notation
For brevity, we often express tensor equations such as

D=
in the form

+ I E + ij )Ej

Di =

0 (ij

where summation over repeated indices is assumed, so that this is equivalent to

Di =
j

0 (ij

+ ij )Ej
Ch 4, 7

Dielectric Tensor Properties

The dielectric tensor is Hermetian such that
ij

ji

In a lossless material all elements of are real so the tensor is symmetric!! ij ! = ! !ji! and can be described by 6 (rather than 9) elements

11 12 13

12 22 23

13

23 33
Ch 4, 8

Plane Wave Propagation in Anisotropic Media

For a given propagation direction in a crystal (or other anisotropic material) the potential wells for the charges will be ellipsoidal, and so there will be two directions for the driving eld for which the material response is in the same direction. These two polarization states each have a (different) phase velocity associated with them. Light polarized at either of these angles will propagate through the material with the polarization unchanged.
Ch 4, 9

Wave Equation in Anisotropic Materials

From Maxwells equations in a dielectric (=J=0), using d/dti and ik we have

B E+ t ik E + i B k E = H

= 0 = 0

D H t ik H i D kH = E = 0

= J = J

Which is the wave equation for a plane wave, most easily analyzed in the principle coordinate system where is Ch 4,10 diagonal (i.e. a coordinate system aligned to the crystal axes)

k k E + 2 E

Wave Equation in Anisotropic Materials

2 2 2 x ky kz ky kx kz kx
or

k k E + 2 E
kx ky 2 2 kz 2 y kx kz ky

for which the determinant of the matrix must be zero for solutions (other than k==0) to exist
x 2 2 ky kz ky kx kz kx

kx kz Ex Ey = 0 ky kz 2 2 ky Ez 2 z kx

kx ky 2 2 2 y kx kz kz ky

kx kz ky kz =0 2 2 2 z kx ky
Ch 4, 11

This denes two surfaces in k-space called the normal shells.

Normal Shells
In a given direction, going out from the origin, a line intersect this surface at two points, corresponding to the magnitude of the two k-vectors (and hence the two values of the phase velocity) wave in this direction can have. The two directions where the surfaces meet are called the optical axes. Waves propagating in these directions will have only one possible phase velocity.
Ch 4, 12

kz ky kx

Wave Equation in Anisotropic Materials

2 2 2 x ky kz ky kx kz kx
or

k k E + 2 E
kx ky 2 2 kz 2 y kx kz ky

kx kz Ex Ey = 0 ky kz 2 2 ky Ez 2 z kx

2 2 2 2 where E0 Ex + Ey + Ez

kx Ex k2 2 x ky Ey = E0 k2 2 y kz Ez 2 2
k
z
Ch 4,13

Example
Find the possible phase velocities (vp=/k) for a wave propagating along the x-axis in a crystal, and the associated polarization directions.

1 vp =

1 or vp =

polarized in the y or z direction respectively

Ch 4,14

Wave Propagation in Anisotropic Materials

Gauss law D = in a dielectric (=0) can be written as

is orthogonal implying the propagation direction k to the displacement vector D .

But the Poynting vector S = E H which gives the direction of energy ow is orthogonal to the electric eld E , not the displacement vector. Thus energy does not ow in the direction of the waves propagation if the ) is not an eigenpolarization of the wave (E vector of the materials dielectric tensor!

ik D = 0

Ch 4,15

Spatial Walkoff

Image 8.26 from Hecht

Ch 4, 16

Eigenstates of a material
For any direction of propagation there exists two polarization directions in which the displacement vector is parallel to the transverse component of the electric eld. These are the eigenstates of the material. Requiring D and E be parallel in the matrix equation D = E is equivalent to nding the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of satisfying
_

i ui = ui
Ch 4,17

Index Ellipsoid
Index of refraction as a function of polarization angle
n1

k
n2

The polarization directions that have a max and min index of refraction form the major and minor axes of an ellipse dening n() the index fora wave with the electric displacement vector at an angle of in the transverse plane.
Ch 4,18

Index Ellipsoid
The sum of all index ellipses plotted in three dimensions is the index ellipsoid, dened by

x2 y2 z2 + 2 + 2 =1 2 nx ny nz

Ch 4,19

Example
Find the angle of the direction of the optical axis for Lithium Niobate

Ch 4,20

Example
Find the angle of the direction of the optical axis for Topaz

Ch 4,21

Crystal Types
The index ellipsoid is determined by the three principle indices of refraction nx, ny and nz. A crystal with nxnynz will have ____ optical axes A crystal with nx=nynz will have ____ optical axes A crystal with nx=ny=nz will have _____ optical axes

Ch 4,22

Crystal Properties
The geometry of a crystal determines the form of the dielectric tensor

Ch 4,23

Crystal Properties
The geometry of a crystal determines the form of the dielectric tensor

n2 = 00 0

Isotropic
0 n2 0

0 0 n2

Ch 4,24

Crystal Properties
The geometry of a crystal determines the form of the dielectric tensor
=

Unaxial
0

0 0

n2 0

0 n2 0 0

0 0 n2 e

Ch 4,25

Crystal Properties
The geometry of a crystal determines the form of the dielectric tensor
=
0

Biaxial
0 0 n2 x 0 n2 y 0

0 0 n2 z

Ch 4,26

Biaxial Crystals
By convention nx<ny<nz so the optical axis is always in the xz plane

Ch 4,27

Uniaxial Crystals
By convention no nx=ny and ne nz The optical axis in a uniaxial crystal is always in the z-direction A negative uniaxial crystal is one in which ne<no while a positive uniaxial crystal has ne>no.

Ch 4,28

Example
A wave is propagating in the [1,1,1] direction in Mica, what are the two principle indices of refraction and in which direction are the eigenpolarizations?

Ch 4,29

Example
A wave is propagating in the [1,1,1] direction in Mica, what are the two principle indices of refraction and in which polarization directions do these correspond to?
plane of polarization is given by k r r.k=0 = 0 so x+y+z=0. The intersection of this plane and the index ellipsoid, given by x2 y2 z2 + 2 + 2 =1 n2 ny nz x is, x2 y2 (x + y )2 + 2 + =1 2 n2 n n x y z Find extremes of r2=x2+y2+z2 subject to the preceding two constraints to nd directions of transverse eigenpolarizations. Plug directions back into r=(x2+y2 +z2)1/2 to nd index for each polarization
Ch 4,30

Example Solution in Mathematica

Ch 4,31

Index of extraordinary ray

The index of refraction of the ordinary ray is always equal to the index seen when the ray propagates along the optical axis The extra-ordinary ray sees an index of refraction that is a function of the ray propagation angle from the optical axis. In a uniaxial crystal

1 cos2 sin2 = + 2 2 ne () no n2 e

Ch 4,32

Double Refraction
Snells law requires the tangential component of the k-vector be continuos across a boundary

kisini
n

knsinn
n

kisini
ne no

knsinn
e o

Ch 4,33

Conical Refraction
The normal surface is a surface of constant in k-space. Group velocity vg=k is perpendicular to the normal surfaces, but in a biaxial crystal the normal surfaces are singular along the optical axis. The surrounding region is conical, thus a wave along the optical axis will spread out conically
Ch 4,34

Optical Activity
Quartz and other materials with a helical molecular structure exhibit Optical Activity, a rotation of the plane of polarization when passing through the crystal.

Ch 4,35

Optical Activity
Optically active materials can be thought of as birefringent, having a different index of refraction for right-circular polarization and for left-circular polarization. The specic rotary power describes how much rotation there is per unit length

= (nl nr )
The source of this optical activity is the induced dipole moment of the molecule formed by changing magnetic ux through the helical molecule

Ch 4,36

Optical Activity
The displacement vector thus has an additional contribution in a direction perpendicular to the electric eld
2 ! is called the gyration vector and where ! G ! ! ! ! ! = ( g k k /k )k ij i j 0

D = E + i 0G E
0 k Gz = Gz Gy Ez Gz 0 Gx

so we can dene an effective dielectric tensor

i G E = Gx Ex

j Gy Ey

Gy Ex Gx Ey = [G]E 0 Ez

= + i 0 [G] so that

D= E

allowing the wave equation to be solved for eigenpolarizations of propagation and two corresponding indices of refraction that depend on [G]
Ch 4,37

Faraday Rotation
A form of optical activity induced by an external magnetic eld.

=VB

where V is called the Verdet constant. The sense of rotation depends on the direction of propagation relative to the direction of the magnetic eld

Ch 4,38

Faraday Rotation
The motion of the charges in a material driven by the electric B ! resulting in an induced eld feel a Lorentz force! q ! v ! ! dipole with a term proportional to!! B ! !E ! such that where =-Vn00/.

D = E + i 0B E

For Faraday rotation the imaginary term is proportional to B, while for optical activity it is proportional to k. Thus a wave double passing (in opposite directions) a material will net zero polarization rotation from optical activity, but twice the one-way rotation due to Faraday rotation.
Ch 4,39

Exercise
Given an isotropic material that is perturbed such that

D = E + i E where is 0 Gz 0 = o Gz Gy Gx

nd the eigenpolarizations for the electric eld and associated indices of refraction. If a linearly polarized plane wave were to propagate along the direction of G through a thickness d of such material, what would the output wave look like?
Ch 4,40

Gy Gx 0

Exercise

Ch 4,41

Coupled Mode Analysis

When the eigenstates of an unperturbed system are known, a small perturbation can be treated as a coupling between these states. Rather than rediagonalizing the matrix for one could solve the wave equation with the perturbed matrix +

E = A1 ei(k1 zt) e 1 + A2 ei(k2 zt) e 2 E = A3 ei(k3 zt) e 3 + A4 ei(k4 zt) e 4

or

with

with +
Ch 4,42

E = A1 (z )ei(k1 zt) e 1 + A2 (z )ei(k2 zt) e 2

Exercise
Given an isotropic material that is perturbed such that

D = E + i E where is 0 Gz 0 = Gz Gy Gx

nd the coupled mode expression for the electric eld for a linearly polarized plane wave propagating along the direction of G.

Gy Gx 0

Ch 4,43

Coupled Mode Analysis Example

The 1-dimensional wave equation in isotropic media

Ch 4,44

Coupled Mode Analysis Example

This is from wave equation solutions to the unperturbed material

Ch 4,45

Coupled Mode Analysis Example

Envelope varies slowly compared to optical frequency

These coupled differential equations reduce to coupled equations that can be solved using linear algebra when we use phasors to represent the elds

Ch 4,46

Coupled Mode Analysis Example

Ch 4,47

Diagonalization
Consider the same problem where

n = 0 i G 0

iG n2 0

0 0 n2

Find the normal modes of propagation by nding the eigenvectors of the dielectric tensor

Ch 4,48

Diagonalization
Consider the same problem where

= i 0 G 0

i 0 G n2 0

0 0 n2

Find the normal modes of propagation by nding the eigenvectors of the dielectric tensor =n2, n2-G,n2+G

u=[0,0,1], [i,1,0], [-i,1,0]

Ch 4,49

Summary
Material polarization is not necessarily parallel to electric eld in anisotropic materials permittivity of material () is a tensor relating E to D Direction of wave vector and energy ow can be different Normal shells and index ellipsoid are geometrical constructions to visualize the propagation parameters of a wave
Ch 4,50

References
Yariv & Yeh Optical Waves in Crystals chapter 4 Hecht Optics section 8.4 Fowles Modern Optics section 6.7

Ch 4,51