Three dimensional iterative beam propagation method for optical waveguide devices

Abstract

The finite difference beam propagation method (FD-BPM) is an effective model for simulating a wide range of optical waveguide structures. The classical FD-BPMs are based on the Crank-Nicholson scheme, and in tridiagonal form can be solved using the Thomas method. We present a different type of algorithm for 3-D structures. In this algorithm, the wave equation is formulated into a large sparse matrix equation which can be solved using iterative methods. The simulation window shifting scheme and threshold technique introduced in our earlier work are utilized to overcome the convergence problem of iterative methods for large sparse matrix equation and wide-angle simulations. This method enables us to develop higher-order 3-D wide-angle (WA-) BPMs based on Pade approximant operators and the multistep method, which are commonly used in WA-BPMs for 2-D structures. Simulations using the new methods will be compared to the analytical results to assure its effectiveness and applicability.