Abstract

The existing beam-propagation method is based on the scalar Helmholtz wave equation. Its use is limited to waves of uniform linear polarizations, in which the vector nature of the fields does not have to be considered in the calculation. This scalar beam-propagation method (SBPM) cannot adequately describe the polarization properties of fields in waveguiding structures. To take into account the effect on the field polarization imposed by the structural geometry and material properties of a waveguide, a vectorial beam-propagation method (VBPM) based on the vector wave equation has been developed. The VBPM takes full account of the polarization properties of the field and is capable of dealing with fields in waveguides of any structural geometry and material anisotropy and nonuniformity. Numerical results on polarized fields in waveguides of rectangular and circular geometries, as well as results of polarized fields in anisotropic media, will be presented. Comparison between the newly developed VBPM and the existing techniques, such as SBPM and mode calculations, will be given.

© 1990 Optical Society of America