Rectangular Dielectric Waveguide

(Revised 8/27/13)

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

Rectangular Dielectric Waveguide

(Revised 8/27/13)

Side View

nc
Guided Wave Confined in xdirection Top View

Cover Guiding Film Substrate

x
y

! k

nf
ns

Wave Spreads in y-direction

nf

Guiding Film

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

Rectangular Waveguides: Confined in both directions

no n1
Surface waveguide

n2 no

no < n2 < n1

Buried waveguide

n1

n2

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

Rectangular Waveguides

no

n1
Ridge waveguide

no < n2 < n1

n2

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

Rectangular Waveguides: Most common rectangular structure

The planar slab waveguide studied has no lateral confinement The fiber is not suitable for integration The rectangular structure satisfies both of these Essential structure for semiconductor lasers and other photonic devices Used to connect other devices over short distances (< 1 cm) so dispersion is rarely an issue The structures are difficult if not impossible to analyze analytically

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

Rectangular Waveguides:
The efficient coupling from sources and to other components requires knowledge of the mode behavior in these types of waveguide.

n3

y
n5 n1 n2 n4

Cannot satisfy boundary conditions at the dashed interfaces using a single trig. or exponential function as was done in the past.

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

Rectangular Waveguides:
Far from cutoff, most of the energy is confined to the core region, with little energy in the corner regions.

n3

y
n5 n1 n2
Closer to cutoff, this is not the case.

n4

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

Rectangular Waveguides:
It is in these corner regions that the waveguide modes couple together. If, as an approximation we neglect this coupling the problem is tremendously simplified. This approximation is valid far from cutoff.

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

Mode Designation
Since y-variation is now present the modes are no longer pure TE or TM. But since the index difference is quite small, the guided fields are essentially transverse (i.e., no z-components, a fact that we will later show), and the electric field will be aligned with either the x-axis or the y-axis. This suggests the following mode designation: The modes are:

Eny,m if the E-field is parallel to the y-axis. Enx,m if the E-field is parallel to the x-axis.
2012 Henry Zmuda Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

Boundary Value Problem

Any of the field components satisfy the scalar wave equation:
2 2 ! 2 f ( x , y , z ) + ko n ( x, y ) f ( x, y, z ) = 0

"2 f "2 f "2 f 2 2 + + + k n ( x, y ) f = 0 o 2 2 2 "x "y "z

For fields that propagate as

e ! j" z # f ( x , y , z ) = f ( x , y ) e ! j" z

!2 f !2 f 2 2 2 + " # f + k n ( x, y ) f = 0 o 2 2 !x !y !2 f !2 f 2 2 2 + + k n x , y " # f =0 ( ) o 2 2 !x !y
2012 Henry Zmuda Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

10

Boundary Value Problem

Use separation of variables. Assume

f ( x, y ) = X ( x )Y ( y )

!2 f !2 f 2 2 2 + + k n x , y " # f =0 ( ) o 2 2 !x !y ! 2 XY ! 2 XY 2 2 2 + + k n x , y " # XY = 0 ( ) o 2 2 !x !y Y d 2 X ( x) dx 2 +X d 2Y ( y ) dy 2
2 2 + ko n ( x , y ) " # 2 XY = 0

2 2 d X x d ( ) + 1 Y ( y ) + k 2 n2 ( x, y ) " # 2 = 0 1 o X dx 2 Y dy 2

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

11

Boundary Value Problem

Separation of variables.
2 2 1 d X ( x) 1 d Y ( y) 2 2 2 + + k n x , y ! " =0 ( ) o 2 2 X dx Y dy

2 d X ( x) 1 2 = ! # x X dx 2 2 d 1 Y ( y) 2 = ! # y Y dy 2

!x and !y are the separation constants

2012 Henry Zmuda Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

12

Boundary Value Problem

In the core region the separation constants satisfy:
2 2 d X x d 1 1 Y1 ( y ) 1( ) 2 2 2 + + k n ! " =0 o 1 2 2 X 1 dx Y1 dy

2 2 d Y1 ( y ) 1 d X1 ( x ) 1 2 2 = ! # , = ! # x y X 1 dx 2 Y1 dy 2

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 !# x !# 2 ! " + k n = 0 $ # + # + " = k n y o i x y o i

#
2012 Henry Zmuda Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

% 2 z

13

Boundary Value Problem

In the core region:
2 2 d X x d 1 1 Y1 y 1 2 2 + ! = 0, + ! =0 x y 2 2 X 1 dx Y1 dy

()

( )

() ( ) ( ) ( Y ( y ) = A! cos (! y ) + B! sin (! y ) = C ! cos (!

1 y y

X 1 x = A cos ! x x + B sin ! x x = C cos ! x x + ! x

y

y +!y

r cos (! + " ) = p cos (! ) + q sin (! ) r=

2012 Henry Zmuda

# p& p + q , " = arctan % ( $ q'

2 2

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

14

 2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

15

Boundary Value Problem

We will neglect the four corner regions. There are thus five solution regions. In the core, for a guided mode, the field will vary sinusoidally in the x and y-directions. Continuity of the transverse field components require that in regions 2 and 3 that the field have the same y dependence as in the core though the fields will decay in the x-direction.
x

Similarly, in regions 4 and 5, the field will have sinusoidal behavior in the core but decay exponentially with y.

n3

y
n5 n1 n2 n4

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

16

Boundary Value Problem

Outside the core, the fields must have at least one component that x decays exponentially.
n3

Consider region 3 for x > 0: To match boundary conditions, Y3(y) in region 3 must be identical to the solution found in the core region, or
2 d X3 ( x) 1 + 2 X 3 dx

y
n5 n1 n2 n4

2 d 1 Y3 ( y ) 2 2 2 + k n ! # =0 o 3 2 Y3 dy !# "# $ 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 d Y1 ( y ) 2 ! = k n " # " # = = !" y o 1 x y 2 Y1 dy

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

17

Boundary Value Problem

2 d X3 ( x) 1 + 2 X 3 dx 2 % 2 2 ( d 1 Y3 ( y ) 2 + ' ko n3 ! # * = 0 2 Y3 dy & $) !# "# $ 2 2 2 2 2 2 ! = k n " # " # o 1 x y 1 d Y1 ( y ) 2 = = !" y 2 Y1 dy

2 d X3 ( x) 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 + ! " + k n ! k n + " + " =0 y o 3 o 1 x y 2 X 3 dx

2 d X3 ( x) 1 2 2 2 2 + + " ! k n ! n =0 x o 1 3 2 X 3 dx

( (

) )

2012 Henry Zmuda

2 1 d X3 ( x) 2 2 2 2 + + " ! k n ! n =0 x o 1 3 2 X 3 dx !## "## $ 2 !, 3

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

18

Boundary Value Problem

$ & & ! " 3x ( X x ~ e % 3( ) 2 2 2 2 "3 = ko n12 ! n3 !# x > 0& & '
2 d X3 ( x) 1 2 ! " =0 3 2 X 3 dx

Similarly,

2 2 2 2 !2 = ko n12 " n2 "# x >0 2 2 !4 = ko 2 2 !5 = ko 2 1 2 1 2 4 2 y 2 y

( (n (n

) " n ) "# " n ) "#

2 5

n3

y
n5 n1 n2 n4

>0 >0

The fields in the five regions can be expressed as

2012 Henry Zmuda Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

19

Boundary Value Problem

x
e
!! 3x ! 5 y

C cos ! y y + ! y e

!! 3x

! ! 3 x ! ! 4 y !b

) ( )

F cos ! x x + ! x e e
! 2 ( x+a) ! 5 y

! 5y

A cos ! x x + ! x cos ! y y + ! y
! x+a B cos ! y y + ! y e 2 ( )

) (

D cos ! x x + ! x e e
!! 2 x + a

)
(

! ! 4 y !b

! ! 4 y !b

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

20

Boundary Conditions Requires LOTS of algebra but lets be clever about it.

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

21

Recall the results for the slab waveguide (Note Set 2a):

Transverse Electric (TE)

Transverse Magnetic (TM)

x
y

! H

x ! E

! k

! H

! E ! k

TE: E parallel to interface

TM: E perpendicular to interface

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

22

Recall the results for the slab waveguide (Note Set 2a):

" s +" c TE Modes H z , E y , H x : tan ! f h = " s" c !f # !f As we shall see later, Ez and Hz are

( )

negligibly small under the weakly guiding condition, namely that n1 ~ n2,,9 more on this later

n2 f n
2 s

TM Modes

(E , E , H ) :
z x y

tan ! f h = ! f

( )

!s+
n4 f nn

n2 f n
2 c

!c

"2 ! f

2 2 c s

! s! c

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 ! f = n2 k " # , $ = # " n k , $ = # " n k f o s s o c c o

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

23

Consider a mode with Ex being guided:

n3 b
Ex n1

Hz = 0

y
n4 a

Ez ! 0

n5

n2

Here Ex looks like a TE mode in a slab of thickness b, and a TM mode in a slab of thickness a.

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

24

Ex looks like a TE mode in a slab of thickness b.

TE: E parallel to interface
Hz = 0 Ez ! 0

! 5 +! 4 TE: tan ! y b = "! y " ! !y ! 5 4 !y

( )

b
n5
Ex

y
n4

n1

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

25

Ex looks like a TM mode in a slab of thickness a.

n3

Hz = 0 Ez ! 0

y
n1
Ex

n2
TM: E perp. to interface

n12 n12 " + 2"3 2 2 n2 n3 TM: tan (! x a ) = ! x $! x 4 n1 2 ! x # 2 2 " 2" 3 n3 n2

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

26

For a guided Ex mode:

Solve for !x and !y (independently) and construct the solution:
2 2 ! 2 = ko2 n12 ! ! x !! y

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

27

Construct the Solution:

x
e
!! 3x ! 5 y

C cos ! y y + ! y e

!! 3x

! ! 3 x ! ! 4 y !b

) ( )

F cos ! x x + ! x e e
! 2 ( x+a) ! 5 y

! 5y

A cos ! x x + ! x cos ! y y + ! y
! x+a B cos ! y y + ! y e 2 ( )

) (

D cos ! x x + ! x e e
!! 2 x + a

)
(

! ! 4 y !b

! ! 4 y !b

What are the phase terms?

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

2012 Henry Zmuda

28

Phase Terms: Recall from Note Set 2a: For the TE Modes,

!c B = A, C = ! A "f

E y x = B cos ! f x + C sin ! f x = 0, ! h " x " 0 ! $ !c !5 C 2 2 !1 C & # = B + C cos ! f x + tan ' tan ! = = ! ! tan ! y = ! # & B& B "f !y !" # # $ # " % !

()

( )

( )

Similarly for TM modes: tan ! y

2012 Henry Zmuda

( )

2 n3 "x = 2 n1 # 3

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

29

In a similar way for an Ey mode: Ey looks like a TM mode in a slab of thickness b, and a TE mode in a slab of thickness a.

n3 b
Ey n1

TE: E parallel to interface

y
n4 a
TM: E perp. to interface

n5

n2

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

30

Ey looks like a TM mode in a slab of thickness b

n12 n12 " + 2"5 2 4 n n5 TM: tan ! y b = ! y 4 $! y 4 n1 !2 # " " y 2 2 4 5 n4 n5

( )

TM: E perp. to interface

b
Ey n1

y
n4

n5

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

31

Ey looks like a TE mode in a slab of thickness a

TE: tan ! x a =

( )

! 2 +! 3 "! x " 2! 3 !x ! !x

n3
Ey

TE: E parallel to interface

y
n1

a
TM: E perp. to interface

n2

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

32

For a guided Ey mode:

Solve for !x and !y (independently) and construct the solution:
2 2 ! 2 = ko2 n12 ! ! x !! y

Phase terms:

tan ! y

( )

2 "y n5 #3 = 2 , tan (! x ) = "x n1 # 5

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

33

Example:
n1 = 1.5 n2 = 1.499 a = 5 m b = 10 m ! y E = Ey a
a

n2
Ey

n1
b

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

34

Example: Consider the symmetric Ey modes By symmetry: ! x = ! y = 0

! h$ ! a$ TE: ! f tan # ! f & = ! s ' " x tan # ! x & = ! x ' " x " 2% " 2%
2 ! h$ nf ! b $ n12 TM: ! f tan # ! f & = 2 ! s ' " y tan # ! y & = 2 ! y ' " y " 2 % ns " 2 % n2

2 2 ! 2 = ko2 n12 ! ! x !! y

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

35

Example:

n1 = 1.5 n2 = 1.499 a = 5 m b = 10 m

Whats wrong with this?

2012 Henry Zmuda Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

36

Example:

n1 = 1.5 n2 = 1.499

! < n2ko!

a = 5 m b = 10 m

Whats wrong with this? Mode not tightly confined to core at low frequencies.
2012 Henry Zmuda Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

37

Example: Pollock plots B vs. V

B is negative here!
2 2 ! 2 " n2 ko B= 2 2 2 2 n1 ko " n2 ko
2 V = ako n12 ! n2

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

38

Example: Fields
, . A cos (! x x ) . X ( x) = % a( #$ x ' x # * . 2) & Ce . / , . B cos ! y y . Y ( y) = % b( #$ y ' y # * . 2) & De . / a x" 2 a x+ 2 b y" 2 b y+ 2 , . . = A. . / , . . . = B. . . / cos (! x x )
% a( #$ x ' x # * 2) &

cos (! x a ) e

a x" 2 a x+ 2 y" y+ b 2 b 2

( )

cos ! y y
y

( ) cos (! b)
e
% b( #$ y ' y # * 2) &

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

39

Example: Fields The fields in the corner regions are not negligible near cutoff.
n2 n1
b

Ey

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

40

So now what?

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

41

Effective Index Method (A very powerful tool!)

n3

y
n4

n3
n1
n2

n5

n1

n5

neff

n4

n2

The interaction between the two waveguides is accounted for with the effective index neff.
2012 Henry Zmuda Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

42

Effective Index Method: Consider the Ey modes 1.! Solve for !x and ! as usual from:
TE: tan (! x a ) =

" 2 +" 3 2 2 2 $ ! x $ %1 = ko n1 # ! x " 2" 3 !x # !x

n3
Ey

TE: E parallel to interface

n1

n2
2012 Henry Zmuda Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

43

Effective Index Method: Consider the Ey modes

!1 2. Set neff = ko
3. Solve for for !y using neff:
2 2 neff neff " + 2"5 2 4 n n5 TM: tan ! y b = ! y 4 $! y 4 neff 2 ! y # 2 2 " 4" 5 n4 n5

TM: E perp. to interface

b
n5
Ey

( )

n4

neff

4. Solve for "eff:

2 2 ! eff = neff ko "# 2 y

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

44

Effective Index Method Now were happy

Very simple, and provides essentially the exact answer.

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

2012 Henry Zmuda

45

For homework do Problem 4 in Pollocks chapter on Rectangular Waveguide and demonstrate to me your working solution. This counts as a quiz grade.

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

46

Lets revisit the important topic of dispersion.

2012 Henry Zmuda

Set 2b - Rectangular Dielectric Waveguides

47