Abstract

The existing beam propagation method is based on the scalar Helmholtz equation and therefore ignores the field polarization properties.¹⁻⁴ The negligence of polarization properties in the existing scalar beam propagation method (SPBM) remains as a major shortcoming of this powerful technique. One simple example is that the propagation of a simple TE₀₁ eigenmode in a circular fiber cannot be described with the current beam propagation method, let alone the coupling between two circular fibers. To overcome this limitation, a vectorial beam propagation method (VBPM) based on the vectorial wave equation has been developed. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of the VBPM to describe the propagation of a TE₀₁ eigenmode field from a circular fiber of 4 μm core radius into a fiber of 8 μm radius.

© 1991 Optical Society of America