Modal analysis and dispersion curves of an elliptical W-type single mode fiber

Abstract

In this paper, the propagation of electromagnetic waves in W-type elliptical dielectric optical fiber having various cladding layers is presented. The presented fiber has concentric core and cladding which have elliptical cross section and the refractive index of one of the inner cladding (the cladding between first clad and last clad) maximum. Using elliptic cylindrical coordinates, boundary conditions are derived and longitudinal field components for the even and odd modes are obtained. The characteristic equation for the fiber to be studied is determined by solving the Mathieu (q > 0) and the modified Mathieu functions (q < 0). In order to study the fundamental mode, the modal index m is put as m = 1. Finally, the cutoff frequencies for several lower order modes have been calculated and their dispersion characteristics are plotted. The effects of elliptical eccentricity e on the mode cutoff frequencies and mode transmissions are also addressed. The analysis shows that one can control the propagation property of optical fiber by increasing the number of inner claddings. These claddings provide additional degree of freedom to control the modes.