Optical Guided Waves, Linear and Nonlinear Surface Plasmons

Abstract

This chapter is intended to provide an easily accessible guide to the concepts of TE and TM guided waves. The case of surface plasmons is used to illustrate TM waves and the subsequent nonlinear theory is aimed at this case. In the nonlinear section it is emphasised that power-mode index curves can be generated in the form of a quadrature.This is shown to be true even for the less tractable electronic nonlinearity case, thus demonstrating that cumbersome finite element methods, or otherwise, are not necessary for the study of general, nonlinear TM modes. Hence nonlinear TM theory can be placed on the same basis as the TE-theory for which it is now well-known that an elegant boundary value analysis can be devised. This type of analysis circumvents the actual field solution of the nonlinear Maxwell’s equations and emphasises the boundary field values as parameters.

To stand upon every point and go over things at large and to be curious in particulars, belongeth to the first author of the story: but to use brevity, and to avoid much labouring of the work, is to be granted to him that will make an abridgement.

2 Maccabees (ii), 30,31