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3 - Guided Wave Optics
3 - Guided Wave Optics
cladding
core
Question:
If we send light down a channel
waveguide, what are we going to
? see at the waveguide output facet?
JJ knows the
answer, but
we don’t !
A B C D E
What is a waveguide mode?
A propagation mode of a waveguide at a given wavelength is a
stable shape in which the wave propagates.
Waves in the form of such a mode of a given waveguide retain
exactly the same cross-sectional shape (complex amplitude) as
they move down the waveguide.
Waveguide mode profiles are
wavelength dependent
Waveguide modes at any given
wavelength are completely
determined by the cross-
sectional geometry and
refractive index profile of the
waveguide
Reading: Definition of Modes
1-d optical confinement: slab waveguide
2 n2 2
Wave equation: 2 2 E 0
c0 t
with spatially non-uniform refractive index
x E y x, z , t U x ei z e it
Helmholtz equation:
2 /
d2
z [ 2 k 2 2 ]U ( x ) 0
dx
k = nk0 = nω/c
effective index
Propagation constant: β = neff k0
Propagation constant is related to
the wavelength (spatial periodicity) Field boundary conditions
of light propagating in the waveguide
Quantum mechanics =
? Guided wave optics
… The similarity between physical equations allows physicists to gain
understandings in fields besides their own area of expertise… -- R. P. Feynman
"According to the
experiment, grad
students exist in
a state of both
productivity and
unproductivity."
-- Ph.D. Comics
Quantum mechanics =
? Guided wave optics
… The similarity between physical equations allows physicists to gain
understandings in fields besides their own area of expertise… -- R. P. Feynman
nclad ncoreω/c0
ncore
ncladω/c0
nclad
ncladω/c0
Group velocity vg: velocity of
wave packets (information)
d c0 d c0
vg Group index ng c0 neff c0
d vg d vp
Effective index: spatial periodicity (phase)
Waveguide effective index is always smaller than core index
Group index: information velocity (wave packet)
In waveguides, group index can be greater than core index!
2-d confinement & effective index method
Channel waveguide Rib/ridge waveguide Directly solving 2-d
nclad nclad
Helmholtz equation for
U(x,y)
ncore ncore Deconvoluting the 2-d
nclad equation into two 1-d
problems
Separation of variables
Solve for U’(x) & U”(y)
U(x,y) ~ U’(x) U”(y)
nclad neff,core nclad neff,clad neff,core neff,clad Less accurate for high-
index-contrast
waveguide systems
y EIM mode solver:
x http://wwwhome.math.utwente.nl/~hammerm/eims.html
z http://wwwhome.math.utwente.nl/~hammer/eimsinout.html
Coupled waveguides and supermode
x V
Anti-symmetric
WG 1 WG 2
Symmetric
x
Cladding
x
supermodes Modal overlap!
neff + Δn
neff - Δn
http://wwwhome.math.utwente.nl/~
Coupled mode theory hammer/Wmm_Manual/cmt.html
Symmetric ≈ +
(U 1 U 2 ) exp[ikz ( neff n )] U1 U2
Anti-symmetric ≈ +
(U1 U 2 ) exp[ikz ( neff n )] U1 U 2 U 2 exp(i )
z
2
Waveguide directional coupler
Beating length π/kβ Symmetric Asymmetric waveguide
coupler directional coupler
Optical power
Optical power
3dB direction
coupler
WG 1 WG 2
Cladding
Modal attenuation
wg core core x
coefficient: Propagation
Tunneling!
Polarization dependent!
Core y
Cladding
x
Substrate z
Core y
Cladding
x
Substrate z
x Discontinuity
of field due to
boundary
condition!
Slot waveguides
Field concentration in low index material
y slot
Use low index material for:
x • Light emission
z • Light modulation
Cladding
• Plasmonic waveguiding