Numerical calculations of the optical propagation properties of the interconnections of symmetric multimode slab waveguides

Abstract

The implementation of a program to compute the optical properties of the interconnection region of two multimode waveguides is discussed. The interconnection problem is described by a scalar boundary value problem defined for the TE polarized component of the electric field. Because of the particular design of the boundary value problem, the conditions at the open boundaries of the incoming and outgoing waveguides are relatively simple. A discretization is obtained using a hybrid system of finite element and boundary element methods. The method is illustrated by calculations on two interconnection configurations. Estimates of the accuracy of the results are given.