Multilayer Dielectric Slab Waveguides

Summary

Transverse‐electric (TE) and transverse‐magnetic (TM) modes are introduced for multilayer slab waveguides, and eigenvalue equations for TE and TM guided modes are derived for multilayer complex slab waveguides. The above eigenvalue equations are applied to one‐dimensional multilayer waveguides, for simply considering resonance conditions for vertical‐cavity surface‐emitting lasers and Fabry–Perot cavity. Furthermore, the relations of mode gain and material gain are derived from wave equations for complex slab waveguides, and compared with traditional optical confinement factor defined as the ratio of the power flow density confined in the active region to the total power flow density. Some numerical results are presented and effective index approximation is simply introduced.