Simulation of Optical Waveguides

Abstract

Optical waveguides and fibers have been used for many years to transmit signals. A number of models have been developed to describe their characteristics. In the field of optical fibers one differentiates between singlemode fibers (SMF), in which one eigenwave (mode) per polarization is capable of propagating, and multimode fibers in which the light can propagate in the shape of different eigen-waves at varying speeds. How many modes can propagate in a fiber depends on its diameter compared with the wavelength of the light and the numerical aperture. The greater both are, the more modes can propagate. The fiber parameter V describes the fundamental properties of a fiber:

$$ V = \frac{{2\pi }} {\lambda } \cdot a \cdot A_N = 2\pi \cdot \frac{a} {\lambda } \cdot \sqrt {n_{core}^2 - n_{cladding}^2 } $$