Abstract
A laser beam can be coupled with high efficiency into a light-guiding thin film by means of a prism–film coupler. Basically this device is a totally reflecting prism, the light-guiding film being separated from the reflecting prism face by a narrow gap of reduced refractive index. This coupling scheme is analyzed in detail by the method of plane-wave expansion. It is shown how the coupling efficiency is determined by the competition between the desired coupling effect and the reverse effect of leakage. A general condition is derived under which the transverse profile of the input beam continues undistorted into the guide. The theory is illustrated for a gaussian beam, which allows a maximum coupling efficiency of 0.80.
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