Modeling tools for integrated and fiber optical devices

This presentation will emphasize the current status of advanced design and simulation tools in photonics technology. The focus will be on Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) component and integrated optic circuits modeling, although some aspects of optical link simulations will also be discussed. A wide variety of numerical methods such as the Beam Propagation Method (BPM), the Coupled Mode Theory (CMT), the Transfer Matrix Method (TMM), and the Finite-Difference Time Domain Method (FDTDM) in their state-of-the-art implementation will be presented. The results from simulating selected photonic components will be discussed

Full vectorial simulation for characterizing loss or gain in optical devices with an accurate and automated finite-element program

An efficient, accurate, and automated vectorial finite-element method is described to characterize arbitrarily shaped optical devices having loss or gain properties. The method can be easily implemented inside the pde 2 d software environment, where an interactive session allows the user to specify the problem in a easy-to-use format. For the method to be validated, modal dispersion characteristics of high loss metal-coated optical fibers that have recently been used in applications in scanning near-field optical microscopy are presented and compared with results obtained with two vectorial approaches, i.e., the field expansion and the multiple-multipole methods. These results clearly illustrate the flexibility, accuracy, and ease of implementation of the method.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

Efficient and accurate numerical analysis of multilayer planar optical waveguides in lossy anisotropic media

This paper discusses a numerical method for computing the electromagnetic modes supported by multilayer planar optical waveguides constructed from lossy or active media, having in general a diagonal permittivity tensor. The method solves the dispersion equations in the complex plane via the Cauchy integration method. It is applicable to lossless, lossy and active waveguides, and to AntiResonant Reflecting Optical Waveguides (ARROW's). Analytical derivatives for the dispersion equations are derived and presented for what is believed to be the first time, and a new algorithm that significantly reduces the time required to compute the derivatives is given. This has a double impact: improved accuracy and reduced computation time compared to the standard approach. A different integration contour, which is suitable for leaky modes is also presented. Comparisons are made with results found in the literature; excellent agreement is noted for all comparisons made

Advances in the development of simulation tools for integrated optics devices: FDTD, BPM and mode solving techniques

In the present paper we review the state of the art of two complementary propagation techniques with applications for integrated optics device modeling: The Finite-Difference Time-Domain and the Beam Propagation Method. In both cases we focus on their main features such as the types of propagation schemes and the material effects that can be modeled. In addition, we also consider a 2D mode solver based on a complex root finding procedure-a representative mode solving technique that is of significant interest for design and modeling of leaky mode based devices. Each of the methods is illustrated with appropriate simulation examples of devices and waveguide structures being of current research interest: photonic band gap structures, waveguide gratings, ARROW waveguides etc. The selected examples show the power of the methods as well as the consistency and the complementarity of their results when applied together