Abstract

The characteristics of planar waveguides with nonlinear layers has been extensively studied due to their potential application as all-optical switching and signal-processing element [1-3]. Here we present a generalized form of nonlinear dispersion equations for various nonlinear waveguide structures with Kerr-type films. By using the relation of the interface electric fields, we obtain the generalized form of nonlinear dispersion equations as an analytic form. The “generalized” means that the equation can represent most of nonlinear waveguide structures with up to five linear and/or nonlinear layers. For example, we apply the generalized dispersion equation to 4-types of nonlinear waveguide structures: I)the waveguides with a nonlinear core layer, II)the waveguides with two nonlinear core layers, III)the planar structures having a linear core with nonlinear surrounding media, and IV)the five-layer nonlinear waveguides having symmetric or asymmetric structures.

© 1996 Optical Society of America