Title

Supersymmetric Optical Waveguides

Keywords

Dielectric waveguide; Mode conversion; Phase matching; Supersymmetry (SUSY)

Abstract

We show that the concept of supersymmetry (SUSY) can be utilized as a versatile tool to design integrated optical structures with desirable eigenmode spectra. Our approach relies on the intriguing ability of SUSY transformations to systematically construct a 'superpartner' structure that shares all of its propagation constants with the original waveguide. This approach can be employed to any given one-dimensional refractive index landscapes and establishes perfect global phase matching condition between an, in principle, arbitrarily large number of guided modes, while separating the fundamental mode of the original waveguide. In doing so, SUSY transformations also relate the field distributions of the paired modes, in turn allowing for mode conversion with unity efficiency. Here, the concept of supersymmetry is illustrated through several examples of one-dimensional waveguides. These include the step-index (slab) waveguide as well as parabolic and exponential index profiles. In all cases the superpartner can be obtained analytically. The unique properties of coupled superpartner arrangements make them an ideal platform for integrated mode filtering and multiplexing applications. The key idea behind this is that global phase matching allows each mode from the original waveguide to interact freely with the neighboring guides, while the fundamental mode remains isolated. Here, this whole set of modes can be simultaneously manipulated, attenuated/amplified, or passed through to higher-order SUSY arrangements. © 2014 SPIE.

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Publication Title

Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

Volume

8980

Number of Pages

-

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2038534

Socpus ID

84901768096 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84901768096

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