Lecture 26

Dielectric Slab Waveguides

In this lecture you will learn:

Dielectric slab waveguides

TE and TM guided modes in dielectric slab waveguides

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TE Guided Modes in Parallel-Plate Metal Waveguides

r r
E (r )

x >0

= y Eo sin(k x x ) e j k z z
x

Ei
Hi

r
ki

r
kr

Er
Hr

r
k i = k x x + k z z

Ei
Hi

r
ki

Ey

r
k r = k x x + k z z

Guided TE modes are TE-waves bouncing back and fourth between two metal
plates and propagating in the z-direction !
The x-component of the wavevector can have only discrete values its quantized

kx =

m
d

where : m = 1, 2, 3, KK
ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Dielectric Waveguides - I
Consider TE-wave undergoing total internal reflection:
Ei

r
ki

i i

r i
k i = k x x + k z z

r
kr

Er

r
k r = k x x + k z z

Hr

Evanescent wave

r r
E (r )

x >0

= y E i e j ( k x

x + kz z )

+ y E i e j (k x

2 o
1 > 2

x +kz z )

k z2 + k x2 = 2 o 1

= 1 when i > c
When

r r
E (r )

i > c :

x <0

= y T E i e

j kz z

k x = j x

x x

k z2 x2 = 2 o 2

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Dielectric Waveguides - II
x

cladding

Evanescent wave
Ei
Hi

r
ki

i i

r
kr

Er

Ei
Hi

Hr

r
ki

o
core

1 > 2

cladding
Evanescent wave

One can have a guided wave that is bouncing between two dielectric interfaces
due to total internal reflection and moving in the z-direction

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Dielectric Slab Waveguides

W

2d
Assumption: W >> d

x
cladding
core

cladding
z

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Dielectric Vs Metal Waveguides

Ey

m=1

m=2

o
z

Ey
Metal Waveguides
(modes are tightly confined)

cladding
Ey
Ey

core

cladding

Dielectric Slab Waveguides

(modes are loosely confined)
ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Dielectric Slab Waveguides TE Modes: Formal Solution

x

cladding
Ey

2d

core

Ey

cladding

symmetric

antisymmetric

The TE solutions are of the form:

r r
E (r )

r r
E (r )
r r
E (r )

x <d

x >d

cos(k x x ) j k z z
= y Eo
e
sin(k x x )

= y E1 e

x < d

x ( x d )

The sine and cosine represent

the symmetric and antisymmetric
solutions w.r.t. the z-axis

j kz z

+
= y E1 e + x ( x + d ) e j k z z

Where:

k z2 + k x2 = 2 o 1
k z2

x2

Given a frequency , the values of kz , kx ,

and x are still not known

= o 2

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TE Modes: Boundary Conditions

x

cladding

2d

Ey
Ey

core

cladding

Boundary conditions:
(1) At x = d the component of E-field parallel to the interface (i.e. the y-component)
is continuous for all z

cos(k x d )
Eo
= E1
sin(k x d )

(1)

(2) At x = d the component of H-field parallel to the interface (i.e. the z-component)
is continuous for all z

k x sin(k x d )
Eo
= x E1
k x cos(k x d )

(2)

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TE Modes: Transcendental Equation

x

cladding

2d

Ey

core

Ey

cladding

Dividing (2) by (1) on the previous slide gives:

tan(k x d ) x

=
cot (k x d ) k x
But:

k z2 + k x2 = 2 o 1
k z2

x2

x2 + k x2 = 2 o ( 1 2 )

= o 2

So we finally get:

tan(k x d )
2 o ( 1 2 )
1

=
k x2
cot (k x d )

Transcendental equation that can

be used to solve for kx in terms of
the frequency

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TE Modes: Graphical Solution

x

cladding

2d

Ey

core

Ey

cladding

Graphic solution of the transcendental

equation

Different red curves for Increasing values

tan(k x d )
2 o ( 1 2 ) d 2
1

=
(k x d )2
cot (k x d )
LHS

RHS

For the m-th TE mode (TEm mode)

the value of kx is in the range
(depending on the frequency ):

(m 1) k x d m

3
2

5
2

k xd

m = 1, 2, 3,KK
ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TE Modes: Cut-off Frequencies

x

cladding
Ey

2d

core

Ey

cladding

Different red curves for Increasing values

tan(k x d )
2 o ( 1 2 ) d 2
1

=
(k x d )2
cot (k x d )
LHS

RHS

Cut-off frequency of the m-th TE

mode can be obtained by setting the
RHS equal to zero for kx d = (m-1)/2

m =

3
2

(m 1)

5
2

k xd

o ( 1 2 )

2d

m = 1, 2, 3,KK
ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Dielectric
Waveguides What is Cut-off ?
x
2

cladding

Ei
2d

r
ki

Hi

r
kr

Er

Ei
Hi

r
ki

kz

o
core
z

Hr
cladding

i k x
o 1

1 > 2
2
o

So what does cut-off really mean? It means that the wave is no longer being
guided through total internal reflection since i < c
A wave will not be guided if:

i < c

kz

o 1

sin( i ) < sin(c ) = 2 1

< 2 1

For the m-th TE mode (TEm mode)

the smallest value of kx is:

(m 1)

So TEm mode will not be guided if:

k z < o 2

<

2 o 1 k x2 < o 2
<

kx

o ( 1 2 )

2d

m =

kx

o ( 1 2 ) k

(m 1)
2d

x=

(m 1)
2d

o ( 1 2 )

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TE Modes: Near Cut-off Behavior

2

cladding
Ey

core

Different red curves for

increasing values

cladding

>> 2 (TE2 mode well confined in the core)

2

cladding
Ey

core

3
2

2
1

k xd

cladding

> 2 (TE2 mode near cut-off mode not well confined in the core)
ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TE Modes: Dispersion Curves

x

cladding

2d

Ey

core

Ey

cladding

How does one obtain dispersion curves?

(1) For a given frequency find kx using:

kz
kz =

TE3 mode
dispersion relation

o 1

tan(k x d )
2 o ( 1 2 ) d 2
1

=
(k x d )2
cot (k x d )

TE2 mode
dispersion relation

kz =

(2) Then find kz using:

k z = 2 o 1 k x2

TE1 mode
dispersion relation

o 2

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TM Modes: Formal Solution

x

cladding
Hy

2d

core

Hy

cladding

The TM solutions are of the form:

r r
H (r )
r r
H (r )
r r
H (r )

x <d

x >d

The sine and cosine represent

the symmetric and antisymmetric
solutions w.r.t. the z-axis

= y H1 e x ( x d ) e j k z z

x < d

Where:

cos(k x x ) j k z z
= y Ho
e
sin(k x x )

+
= y H1 e + x ( x + d ) e j k z z

k z2 + k x2 = 2 o 1

Given a frequency , the values of kz , kx ,

and x are still not known

k z2 x2 = 2 o 2

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TM Modes: Boundary Conditions

x

cladding

2d

Hy
Hy

core

cladding

Boundary conditions:
(1) At x = d the component of H-field parallel to the interface (i.e. the y-component)
is continuous for all z

cos(k x d )
Ho
= H1
sin(k x d )

(1)

(2) At x = d the component of E-field parallel to the interface (i.e. the z-component)
is continuous for all z

kx

sin(k x d )
x
H
Ho 1
=
kx
2 1

cos(k x d )
1

(2)

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TM Modes: Transcendental Equation

x

cladding

2d

Hy

core

Hy

cladding

Dividing (2) by (1) on the previous slide gives:

tan(k x d ) x 1

=
cot (k x d ) k x 2
But:

k z2 + k x2 = 2 o 1
k z2

x2

x2 + k x2 = 2 o ( 1 2 )

= o 2

So we finally get:

tan(k x d ) 1 2 o ( 1 2 )d 2
1

=
(k x d )2
cot (k x d ) 2

Transcendental equation that can

be used to solve for kx in terms of
the frequency

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

TM Modes: Graphical Solution

x

cladding

2d

Hy

core

Hy

cladding

Graphic solution of the transcendental

equation

Different red curves for Increasing values

tan(k x d ) 1 2 o ( 1 2 ) d 2
1

=
(k x d )2
cot (k x d ) 2
LHS

RHS

For the m-th TM mode (TMm mode)

the value of kx is in the range
(depending on the frequency ):

(m 1) k x d m

3
2

5
2

k xd

m = 1, 2, 3,KK
ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Fiber Optical Communications: Optical Fibers

cladding

9.0 m

core

125 m
cladding

cladding

core

z
Silica (SiO2) core and cladding materials
ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Integrated Optics

2 um

An optical micro-ring filter (separates out

light of a particular color) SEM

An optical micro-splitter (splits light two

ways) SEM

Slab Waveguide
Si

Si

SiO2

SiO2

Si

Si
ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

10

Integrated Optics: Semiconductor Quantum Well Lasers

top metal

InP/InGaAsP
Waveguide

1 .0 m thick
polyimide layer

3 .0 m

The dielectric waveguide for a

semiconductor quantum well laser
with metal on top (for electrical
connection) is shown

A microchip containing several

semiconductor laser stripes running in
parallel is shown.

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

11