Wave Propagation In Planar

Waveguides
BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus

RAHUL SINGHAL

Plane TEM Wave

Transverse means E & H are perpendicular

to direction of propagation

E is x polarized
H is y polarized

The net electric flux through any closed

surface is equal to 1 times the net electric
charge enclosed within that closed surface.
It states that the magnetic field B has
divergence equal to zero, in other
words, it is equivalent to the
statement that magnetic monopoles
do not exist.
The induced electromotive force in
any closed circuit is equal to the
negative of the time rate of change of
the magnetic flux through the circuit.

Ampre's law with Maxwell's addition states that

magnetic fields can be generated in two ways:
by electrical current (this was the original
"Ampre's law") and by changing electric fields
(this was "Maxwell's addition").

MAXWELL EQUATIONS

B
E
t
D
H J
t
.D
.B 0

i j k
x
y
z
Del or Nabla Operator

E Electric Field Intensity V/m

D E ; Electric Flux Density C/m 2
B H ; M agnetic Flux Density T (Telsa or V - Sec./m 2 )
H M agnetic Field Intensity A/m
J E ; Electric current density A/m 2

Inside an ideal dielectric, = 0; = 0.

B
E
t
D
H
t
.D 0
.B 0

0 r ; 0 4 10 N / A
7

0 r ; 0 8.854 1012 C 2 / Nm2

From Eq based on Gauss law,

B
( B )
E

t
t
( H )
D
2D
2


t
t t
t

But,

E (.E ) 2 E
where,

2
2
2
2 2 2
x
y
z
2

&,

.E .( D / ) 0
2D
2E
2E
E 2
2
2
t
t
t
2

2E
E 2 0
t
2

Similarly,

2H
H 2 0
t
2

2
2 0
t

vp

In vacuum or free space, r r 1,

so that v p

c 3 108 m/s

1
2 2 0
v p t
2

n
2 2 0
c t
2

For an isotropic medium,

n / 0 r with r 1
Therefore, v p c / n

Solution

0 exp i(t z )

vp

SOLUTION IN INHOMOGENEOUS MEDIUM

For an isotropic, linear, non-conducting, non-magnetic, but
inhomogenoeous (or heterogeneous) medium,

.( D ) .E 0. r E 0

0 ( r ).E r .E 0

.E

From curl of Gauss Law,

Substituting,

0, for homogeneou s medium as .E 0

Similarly,

2H
H ( ( r ) ( H ) 0 0 r 2 0
r
t
2

( r ).E

2E
(.E ) E 0 0 r 2
t
2
0 r 0 r 1

E
2
E (.E ) 0 0 r 2 0
D E 0 r E
t
2
1

E
2 E ( ( r ).E ) 0 0 r 2 0
r
t

2D
2E
E 2 0 0 r 2
t
t
Rearranging,

Assume n do not vary

in y and z directions

r n n ( x)

y- & z- dependence of fields,

will be, in general, of form,

exp i(y z )
=0 without any loss of generality

E j E j ( x) exp i(t z )

j x, y, or, z

H j H j ( x) exp i(t z )

E
E
i Ez y
y
z

D
E
E
0 r
0n2
t
t
t

H y
i H z

y
z

E
j Ex Ez k y Ex
x x
y
z

0 i H x jH y kH z
t

H y H x
j H x H z k

x x
y
z

0 n i Ex jE y kEz
t

B
H
0
t
t

As, E & H do not vary with y, all

i

terms are zero

y

E y ei (t z ) j
Ex ei (t z ) j
Ez ei (t z ) k
E y ei (t z )
z
z
x
x

i0 H x ei (t z ) j H y ei (t z ) k H z ei (t z )
t
t
t
ii E y

E
j i Ex Ez k y i0 (i ) H x j0 (i ) H y k0 (i ) H z

x
x

Comparing on both sides,

i E y 0 (i ) H x
or, E y 0H x

i Ex Ez 0 (i ) H y
x

E y
x

0 (i ) H z

Again, all
i

terms are zero

y

H y ei (t z ) j
H x ei (t z ) j
H z ei (t z ) k
H y ei (t z )
z
z
x
x

0 n 2i
ii H y

Ex ei (t z ) 0 n 2 j E y ei (t z ) 0 n 2 k Ez ei (t z )
t
t
t

H y
2
2
j i H x H z k
(i n 2 ) E

i
(
i

n
)
E

j
(
i

n
)
E

0
x
0
y
0
z
x
x

Comparing on both sides,

i H y (i 0 n 2 ) Ex
or, H y 0 n 2E x

i H x

H z
(i 0 n 2 )E y
x

H y
x

i 0 n 2E z

E y 0H x
E y
x

iH x

i0H z

TE Modes, Ey component
Ex , Ez ,&, H y are zero and involves only E y , H x ,&, H z

H z
i 0 n 2 ( x) E y
x
H y 0 n 2 ( x) Ex

TM Modes, Hy component
H x , H z ,&, E y are zero and involves only H y , Ex ,&, Ez

H y
x

i 0 n 2 ( x) Ez

i Ex Ez
x

i0H y

PLANAR OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE

Planar Optical Waveguide

z
x

x=0

x 1 sin

1 n1k

+a

n1

z 0 1 cos

-a

2n1

n1k

n2

n1

2n1

n1k

z 1 cos
sin c cos m

min 1 cos m 1

n2
n1

n2
n2 k 2
n1

x 1 sin n1k sin

2

n1

sin

x=0

n1

n2

a + 2a + a

Each value of i,
corresponds to a
particular mode
with its own i,
in z-direction.

M imax

z
z 0 1 cos

-a

4a

x 1 sin

1 n1k

+a

2
1

2 1/ 2
2

4a x 2i

i 0, 1, 2, 3, ...

4a sin i im
4a sin m

4an1 sin m

4a

2
1

sin

2 1/ 2
2

Mode corresponding imax is refracted at interface,

& may propagate in cladding is called a radiation mode

TE Modes of a Symmetric
Step-Index Planar Waveguide
n 2 ( x) n 2 ( x)

1
2

i
E

n
( x) E y
y
y
0

x i0 x
0
E y E y (x)

d 2 Ey
dx 2

2 E y 0 0 2 n 2 ( x) E y 0

d 2Ey
dx

k 2 n 2 ( x) 2 E y 0

where, 0 0

;&
k
2
c
c

 n1
n( x )
n2
d 2 Ey
dx

for x a

k 2 n12 2 E y 0

d 2 Ey
dx

for x a

k 2 n22 2 E y 0

Let,

u 2 k 2 n12 2 12 2

&,

w2 2 k 2 n22 2 22

for x a
for x a

d 2 Ey
dx 2

d 2 Ey

12 k 2 n12 2 22 k 2 n22

dx 2

u 2 E y 0 for x a

w2 E y 0 for x a

E y ( x) E y ( x)

Symmetric Modes

E y ( x) E y ( x)

Anti-symmetric Modes

Symmetric Modes

A cos ux for x a
E y ( x) w x
for x a
Ce

The continuity of Ey(x) and dEy/dx at x=a gives,

A cos(ua) Ce wa

u tan(ua) w

uA sin(ua) wCe wa

ua tan(ua) wa

u 2 w2 k 2 n12 2 2 k 2 n22 k 2 n12 n22

ua 2 wa 2 k 2 a 2 n12 n22 2
V

ua 2 wa 2

2a
2
2

n1 n2

ua tan(ua) V ua
2

2 1/ 2

a 2 n12 n22

Anti-symmetric Modes

B sin ux for x a

E y ( x) x De w x
for x a
x

ua cot(ua) wa

ua cot(ua) V ua

2 1/ 2

From Fig. in next slide,

2m
2m 1

V 2m 1

V 2m 2
M

2V

(m+1)Symmetric Modes

m Anti-symmetric Modes

m 0, 1, 2, ...
(m+1) Symmetric Modes
(m+1) Anti-symmetric
Modes

here, ua; wa

m=0
m=1

2 22
ua wa
b 2

2
1 2
V V

m=2

m
ua Vc
2
2a
2
2

V
n

n
1
2

m 2a 2
2

n1 n2
2

2a

2 n12 n22

Problem 3.9 What should be the maximum thickness of the

guide slab of a symmetrical SI planar waveguide so that it
supports only the first 10 modes? Take n1 = 3.6, n2 = 3.58,
and = 0.90 m. Calculate the maximum and minimum
values of the propagation constant , .

Power Distribution And Confinement Factor

The power flow is given by Poynting vector defined by
S = E H where E and H are expressed in complex form but the actual
fields are the real part of the complex form. Thus taking Time Average of the
Poynting vector,

S Re E Re H

1
Re E H *
2

where H* is complex conjugate of H. Thus, time average of S along zdirection will be given by

Sz

1
(E x H y H x E y )
2

For TE modes

Hx
Ey
0

therefore,

Sz

Ey
2 0

For a particular mode, the power associated per unit area per unit
length in the y-direction will thus be given by

2
1
P
E y dx

2 0 x

The power inside the guide layer (core)

2
1
Pin
E y dx

2 0 x a
a

and the power inside the cladding (or outside the guide layer)
a

2
2
1
Pout
E y dx E y dx
2 0 x
x a

For symmetric TE modes,

A cos ux,
E y ( x) w x
Ce ,
Thus,

x a
x a

1
2 1
2
Pin
2 A cos ux dx
A (1 cos 2ux)dx
2 0 0
0 0 2
a

or,
a

2
1

2
Pin
A x sin 2ux
A a sin 2ua)
0 2u
2u
0 20

Similarly,

1
2 1 w x
w x
Pout
2 Ce
dx
C
e
2 0 a
a
0 2w

or,

2 1 2 wa
Pout
C e

0 2w

Total Power, P

1
2 1 2 wa

2
P Pin Pout
A a sin 2ua
C e

20
2u
0 2w
2

1
C 1 2 wa
2

A a
sin 2ua
e

20
2u
A w

Substitute

C / A ewa cos ua

1
1

A2 a sin 2ua cos 2 ua

20
2u
w

2
2
sin
ua
cos
ua
2
sin
ua

A2 2a

40
w
u
w

2 2 sin ua cos ua
wa ua tan ua A2 a 1
A2 2a
40
w
uwa
w
20

Since, ua tan ua wa
A similar expression can be calculated for asymmetric modes.