Theory of a curved planar waveguide with Robin boundary conditions

Abstract

A model of a thin straight strip with a uniformly curved section and with boundary requirements zeroing at the edges a linear superposition of the wave function and its normal derivative (Robin boundary condition) is analyzed theoretically within the framework of the linear Schrödinger equation and is applied to the study of the processes in the bent magnetic multilayers, superconducting films and metallic ferrite-filled waveguides. In particular, subband thresholds of the straight and curved parts of the film are calculated and analyzed as a function of the Robin parameter 1/Lambda , with Lambda being an extrapolation length entering Robin boundary condition. For the arbitrary Robin coefficients which are equal on the opposite interfaces of the strip and for all bend parameters the lowest-mode energy of the continuously curved duct is always smaller than its straight counterpart. Accordingly, the bound state below the fundamental propagation threshold of the straight arms always exists as a result of the bend. In terms of the superconductivity language it means an increased critical temperature of the curved film compared to its straight counterpart. Localized-level dependence on the parameters of the curve is investigated with its energy decreasing with increasing bend angle and decreasing bend radius. Conditions of the bound-state existence for the different Robin parameters on the opposite edges are analyzed too; in particular, it is shown that the bound state below the first transverse threshold of the straight arm always exists if the inner extrapolation length is not larger than the outer one. In the opposite case there is a range of the bend parameters where the curved film cannot trap the wave and form the localized mode; for example, for the fixed bend radius the bound state emerges from the continuum at some nonzero bend angle that depends on the difference of the two lengths Lambda at the opposite interfaces. Various transport properties of the film such as interference blockade of the current flow at some special energies is also discussed with the special attention being paid to the transformation from the Dirichlet to the Neumann case as the extrapolation length Lambda sweeps the positive axis.