Abstract

Working group I of the European Cost-216 project on optical switching is active in the comparison of numerical methods for the modeling of integrated-optic waveguide structures. The results of a first problem set consisting mainly of the calculation of the modal properties of single and coupled waveguides have now been published.¹ The intermediate results obtained in the past year for a second problem set will be presented. This second problem set consists of various integrated-optic waveguide S bends, including features such as offsets. Complete coupler structures, including input and output waveguides are also considered. Results of more than 10 different European groups, using a variety of numerical methods, are currently considered. Probably the most challenging aspect of the exercise is the fact that for most of the problem set accurate experimental results are available. This means that a study is possible of the agreement not only between the various modeling methods, but also between the theoretical and experimental results. In the last case it is interesting to compare both the variation of, for example, the bend loss as a function of radius and the absolute value of that loss. From the results obtained so far, it is obvious that a lot of work remains to be done before the currently available modeling methods can be used as reliable computer-aided design tools.

© 1990 Optical Society of America