Optical Waveguides

From Theory to Applied Technologies

María L. Calvo, Vasudevan Lakshminarayanan

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781351837231
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Nanotechnology & MEMS
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Although the theory and principles of optical waveguides have been established for more than a century, the technologies have only been realized in recent decades. Optical Waveguides: From Theory to Applied Technologies combines the most relevant aspects of waveguide theory with the study of current detailed waveguiding technologies, in particular, photonic devices, telecommunication applications, and biomedical optics.

With self-contained chapters written by well-known specialists, the book features both fundamentals and applications. The first three chapters examine the theoretical foundations and bases of planar optical waveguides as well as critical optical properties such as birefringence and nonlinear optical phenomena. The next several chapters focus on contemporary waveguiding technologies that include photonic devices and telecommunications. The book concludes with discussions on additional technological applications, including biomedical optical waveguides and the potential of neutron waveguides.

As optical waveguides play an increasing part in modern technology, photonics will become to the 21st century what electronics were to the 20th century. Offering both novel insights for experienced professionals and introductory material for novices, this book facilitates a better understanding of the new information era—the photonics century.

1 Propagation Characteristics of Planar Waveguides

Ajoy Ghatak and Vasudevan Lakshminarayanan

CONTENTS

1.1 Introduction

1.2 TE and TM Modes of Slab Waveguide

1.3 Matrix Method

1.4 Modified Airy Function Method

1.4.1 Perturbation Correction

1.5 Note on Perturbation Method

1.6 Variational Method

1.7 Numerical Methods for Scalar Wave Propagation

1.8 Summary

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Appendix E

References

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The simplest optical waveguide is probably the planar waveguide that consists of a thin dielectric film sandwiched between materials of slightly lower refractive indices. In such waveguides, the film is assumed to extend to infinity in one transverse direction (say y direction) and the refractive index varies along another transverse direction (i.e., along the x direction) — see Figure 1.1. A typical refractive index distribution [n = n(x)] is schematically shown in Figure 1.2. The refractive index profile (corresponding to Figure 1.2) can be written as

$\begin{array}{cc}n\left(x\right)=n_c& x\le 0\\ =n_f\left(x\right)& 0\le x\le d\\ =n_s& x\ge d\end{array}$

(1.1)

where n_c and n_s represent the refractive indices of the cover region (x < 0) and the substrate region (x > d), respectively; n_f (x) represents the refractive index variation of the film which is assumed to be of thickness d.

FIGURE 1.1 A planar waveguide that is assumed to be infinitely extending in the y and z directions.

1.2 TE AND TM MODES OF SLAB WAVEGUIDE

For a medium characterized by a refractive index variation that depends only on ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Chapter 1 Propagation Characteristics of Planar Waveguides
• Chapter 2 Birefringent Optical Waveguides
• Chapter 3 Optically Induced Nonlinear Waveguides
• Chapter 4 Active Optical Waveguides
• Chapter 5 Wavelength Dispersive Planar Waveguide Devices: Echelle and Arrayed Waveguide Gratings
• Chapter 6 Silicon Waveguides for Integrated Optics
• Chapter 7 Enabling Fabrication Technologies for Planar Waveguide Devices
• Chapter 8 Biomedical Fiber Optics
• Chapter 9 Neutron Waveguides and Applications
• Index