Design and modeling of passive optical switches and power dividers using non-planar coupled fiber arrays

Arrays of coupled waveguides such as the ubiquitous directional coupler are used extensively in optoelectronic devices, with demonstrated applications to optical communications networks, fiber interferometers, and optical homodyne receivers. In order to analyze the transmission characteristics of circular arrays of coupled optical fibers, we have developed a matrix representation of the coupled-mode formalism, allowing for varying fiber diameters and differing coupling strengths between the fibers in the array. The model is used to identify design criteria for application of such arrays as passive optical switches and power dividers.