Lecture 17

Dielectric Slab Waveguides

As mentioned before, the dielectric slab waveguide shares many salient features with the
optical fiber waveguide, one of the most important waveguides of this century. Before we
embark on the study of dielectric slab waveguides, we will revisit the transverse resonance
again. The transverse resonance condition allows one to derive the guidance conditions for
a dielectric slab waveguide easily without having to match the boundary conditions at the
interface again: The boundary conditions are already embedded in the derivation of the
Fresnel reflection coefficients. Much of the materials in this lecture can also be found in
[33, 45, 85].

17.1 Generalized Transverse Resonance Condition

The generalized transverse resonance condition is a powerful condition that can be used to
derive the guidance conditions of modes in a layered medium.
To derive this condition, we first have to realize that a guided mode in a waveguide is due
to the coherent or constructive interference of the waves. This implies that if a plane wave
starts at position 1 (see Figure 17.1)1 and is multiply reflected as shown, it will regain its
original phase in the x direction at position 5. Since this mode progresses in the z direction,
all these waves (also known as partial waves) are in phase in the z direction by the phase
matching condition. Otherwise, the boundary conditions cannot be satisfied. That is, waves
at 1 and 5 will gain the same phase in the z direction. But, for them to add coherently or
interfere coherently in the x direction, the transverse phase at 5 must be the same as 1.
Assuming that the wave starts with amplitude 1 at position 1, it will gain a transverse
phase of e−jβ0x t when it reaches position 2. Upon reflection at x = x2 , at position 3, the wave
becomes R̃+ e−jβ0x t where R̃+ is the generalized reflection coefficient at the right interface
of Region 0. Finally, at position 5, it becomes R̃− R̃+ e−2jβ0x t where R̃− is the generalized
reflection coefficient at the left interface of Region 0. For constructive interference to occur
1 The waveguide convention is to assume the direction of propagation of a mode to be in the z direction.

Since we are analyzing a guided mode in a layered medium, z axis is as shown in this figure, which is parallel
to the interfaces. This is different from before.

181
182 Electromagnetic Field Theory

Figure 17.1: The transverse resonance condition for a layered medium. The phase of the
wave at position 5 should be equal to the transverse phase at position 1 for constructive
interference to occur.

or for the mode to exist, we require that transverse phase of the wave at position 5 is the
same as that at position 1, or
R̃− R̃+ e−2jβ0x t = 1 (17.1.1)
The above is the generalized transverse resonance condition for the guidance condition for a
plane wave mode traveling in a layered medium.

17.1.1 Parallel Plate Waveguide

Note that for equation (17.1.1), when we have two parallel metallic plates, where the metallic
TM TE
plates are assumed to be PEC, then R± = 1, and R± = −1,2 and the guidance condition
becomes
mπ
1 = e−2jβ0x t ⇒ β0x = , m = 0, 1, 2, . . . , (17.1.2)
t
These are just the guidance conditions for parallel plate waveguides. In this waveguide, the
modes are guided by total reflections at the air-metallic interface due to the impenetrability
of a PEC surface. Details of this waveguide are given in the ECE 350X lecture notes as well
as in Kong [33, 45].

17.2 Dielectric Slab Waveguide

The most important dielectric waveguide of the modern world is the optical fiber, whose
invention was credited to Charles Kao [110]. He was awarded the Nobel prize in 2009
[124]. However, the analysis of the optical fiber requires the use of cylindrical coordinates
2 This can be seen from the Fresnel reflection coefficient by setting one of the media to be PEC.
Dielectric Slab Waveguides 183

and special functions such as Bessel functions. In order to capture the essence of different
dielectric waveguides, one can study the slab dielectric waveguide, which shares many salient
wave-physics features with the optical fiber. We start with analyzing the TE modes in this
waveguide. (This waveguide is also used as thin-film optical waveguides (see Figure 17.2).)

Figure 17.2: An optical thin-film waveguide is made by coating a thin dielectric film or
sheet on a metallic surface. The wave is guided by total internal reflection at the top
interface, and by metallic reflection at the bottom interface.

17.2.1 TE Case

Figure 17.3: Schematic for the analysis of a guided mode in the dielectric waveguide.
Total internal reflections occur at the top and bottom interfaces. If the waves add
coherently, the wave is guided along the dielectric slab.

We shall look at the application of the transverse resonance condition to a TE wave guided
in a dielectric slab waveguide. Again, we assume the direction of propagation of the guided
mode to be in the z direciton in accordance with convention. Specializing the above equation
to the dielectric slab waveguide shown in Figure 17.3, we have the guidance condition as
1 = R10 R12 e−2jβ1x d (17.2.1)
where d is the thickness of the dielectric slab. Guidance of a mode is due to total internal
reflection, and hence, we expect Region 1 to be optically more dense (in terms of optical
refractive indices)3 than Regions 0 and 2.
3 Optically more dense means higher optical refractive index, or higher dielectric constant.
184 Electromagnetic Field Theory

To simplify the analysis further, we assume Region 2 to be the same as Region 0 so that
R12 = R10 . The new guidance condition is then
2 −2jβ1x d
1 = R10 e (17.2.2)

By phase-matching, βz is the same in all the three regions of Figure 17.3. By expressing all
the βix in terms of the variable βz , the above is an implicit equation for βz . Also, we assume
that ε1 > ε0 so that total internal reflection occurs at both interfaces as the wave bounces
around so that β0x = β2x = −jα0x . Therefore, for TE polarization, the local, single-interface,
or Fresnel reflection coefficient is
µ0 β1x − µ1 β0x µ0 β1x + jµ1 α0x
R10 = = = ejθT E (17.2.3)
µ0 β1x + µ1 β0x µ0 β1x − jµ1 α0x
where θT E is the Goos-Hanschen shift for total internal reflection. It is given by
 
−1 µ1 α0x
θT E = 2 tan (17.2.4)
µ0 β1x

The guidance condition for constructive interference according to (17.2.1) and (17.2.2) is such
that

2θT E − 2β1x d = 2nπ (17.2.5)

From the above, dividing it by four, and taking its tangent, we get
   
θT E nπ β1x d
tan = tan + (17.2.6)
2 2 2

or using (17.2.4) for the left-hand side,

 
µ1 α0x nπ β1x d
= tan + (17.2.7)
µ0 β1x 2 2

The above gives rise to

 
β1x d
µ1 α0x = µ0 β1x tan , n even (17.2.8)
2
 
β1x d
−µ1 α0x = µ0 β1x cot , n odd (17.2.9)
2

It can be shown that when n is even, the mode profile is even, whereas when n is odd, the
mode profile is odd. The above can also be rewritten as
 
µ0 β1x d β1x d α0x d
tan = , even modes (17.2.10)
µ1 2 2 2
 
µ0 β1x d β1x d α0x d
− cot = , odd modes (17.2.11)
µ1 2 2 2
Dielectric Slab Waveguides 185

Again, the above equations can be expressed in the βz variable, but they do not have closed
form solutions, save for graphical solutions (or numerical solutions). We shall discuss their
graphical solutions next.4

To solve the above graphically, it is best to plot them in terms of one common variable.
It turns out the β1x is the simplest common variable to use for graphical solutions. To this
2
end, using the fact that −α0x = β02 − βz2 , and that β1x
2
= β12 − βz2 , eliminating βz from these
two equations, one can show that

1
α0x = [ω 2 (µ1 1 − µ0 0 ) − β1x
2 2
] (17.2.12)

Thus (17.2.10) and (17.2.11) become

 
µ0 β1x d β1x d α0x d
tan =
µ1 2 2 2
s 2
d2

β1x d
= ω 2 (µ1 1 − µ0 0 ) − , even modes (17.2.13)
4 2
 
µ0 β1x d β1x d α0x d
− cot =
µ1 2 2 2
s 2
d2

β1x d
= ω 2 (µ1 1 − µ0 0 ) − , odd modes (17.2.14)
4 2

We can solve the above graphically by plotting

 
µ0 β1x d β1x d
y1 = tan , even modes (17.2.15)
µ1 2 2
 
µ0 β1x d d
y2 = − cot β1x , odd modes (17.2.16)
µ1 2 2
" 2 # 12
d2

2 β1x d α0x d
y3 = ω (µ1 1 − µ0 0 ) − = (17.2.17)
4 2 2

4 This technique has been put together by the community of scholars in the optical waveguide area.
186 Electromagnetic Field Theory

Figure 17.4: A way to solve (17.2.13) and (17.2.14) is via a graphical method. In this
method, both the right-hand side and the left-hand side of the equations are plotted on
the same plot. The solutions are at the intersection points of these plots.

In the above, y3 is the equation of a circle; the radius of the circle is given by

1 d
ω(µ1 1 − µ0 0 ) 2 . (17.2.18)
2

The solutions to (17.2.13) and (17.2.14) are given by the intersections of y3 with y1 and y2 .
We note from (17.2.1) that the radius of the circle can be increased in three ways: (i) by
increasing the frequency ω, (ii) by increasing the contrast µµ10 10 , and (iii) by increasing the
thickness d of the slab.5 By increasing these three parameters, then the number of trapped
modes inside the slab waveguide increases. The mode profiles of the first two modes are shown
in Figure 17.5.

5 These area important salient features of a dielectric waveguide. These features are also shared by the

optical fiber.
Dielectric Slab Waveguides 187

Figure 17.5: Mode profiles of the TE0 and TE1 modes of a dielectric slab waveguide
(courtesy of J.A. Kong [33]).

When β0x = −jα0x , the reflection coefficient for total internal reflection is

  
µ0 β1x + jµ1 α0x µ1 α0x
TE
R10 = = exp +2j tan−1 (17.2.19)
µ0 β1x − jµ1 α0x µ0 β1x

 TE
and R10  = 1. Hence, the wave is guided by total internal reflections.
Cut-off occurs when the total internal reflection ceases to occur, i.e. when the frequency
decreases such that α0x = 0. From Figure 17.4, we see that α0x = 0 when

1 d mπ
ω(µ1 1 − µ0 0 ) 2 = , m = 0, 1, 2, 3, . . . (17.2.20)
2 2

or

mπ
ωmc = 1 , m = 0, 1, 2, 3, . . . (17.2.21)
d(µ1 1 − µ0 0 ) 2

The mode that corresponds to the m-th cut-off frequency above is labeled the TEm mode.
Thus TE0 mode is the mode that has no cut-off or propagates at all frequencies. This is
shown in Figure 17.6 where the TE mode profiles are similar since they are dual to each
other. The boundary conditions at the dielectric interface is that the field and its normal
derivative have to be continuous. The TE0 or TM0 mode can satisfy this boundary condition
at all frequencies, but not the TE1 or TM1 mode. At the cut-off frequency, the field outside
the slab has to become flat implying the α0x = 0 implying no guidance.
188 Electromagnetic Field Theory

Figure 17.6: Mode profiles of the TM modes of a dielectric slab. The TE modes are dual
to the TM modes and have similar mode profiles.

Next, we will elucidate more physics of the dielectric slab guided mode. At cut-off, α0x = 0,
2
and from the dispersion relation that α0x = βz2 − β02 ,
√
βz = ω µ0 0 ,

for all the modes. Hence, the phase velocity, ω/βz , and the group velocity, dω/dβz are that
of the outer region. This is because when α0x = 0, the wave is not evanescent outside, and
the energy of the mode is predominantly carried by the exterior field.
When ω → ∞, the radius of the circle in the plot of y3 becomes increasingly larger. As
seen from Figure 17.4, the solution for β1x → nπ d for all the modes. From the dispersion
relation for Region 1,
√
q p
2 ≈
βz = ω 2 µ1 1 − β1x ω 2 µ1 1 − (nπ/d)2 ≈ ω µ1 1 , ω→∞ (17.2.22)

since ω 2 µ1 1  β1x
2
≈ (nπ/d)2 . Hence the group and phase velocities approach that of the
dielectric slab. This is because when ω → ∞, α0x → ∞, implying the rapid exponential
decay of the fields outside the waveguide. Therefore, the fields are trapped or confined in the
slab and propagating within it. Because of this, the dispersion diagram of the different modes
appear as shown in Figure 17.7. In this figure,6 kc1 , kc2 , and kc3 are the cut-off wave number
or frequency of the first three modes. Close to cut-off, the field is traveling mostly outside the
√
waveguide, and kz ≈ ω µ0 ε0 . Hence, both the phase and group velocities approach that of
6 Please note again that in this course, we will use β and k interchangeably for wavenumbers.
Dielectric Slab Waveguides 189

the outer medium as shown in the figure. When the frequency increases, the mode is tightly
√
confined in the dielectric slab, and hence, kz ≈ ω µ1 ε1 . Both the phase and group velocities
approach that of Region 1 as shown.

Figure 17.7: Here, we have kz versus k1 plots for dielectric slab waveguide. Near its cut-
off, the energy of the mode is in the outer region, and hence, its group velocity is close
to that of the outer region. At high frequencies, the mode is tightly bound to the slab,
and its group velocity approaches that of the dielectric slab (courtesy of J.A. Kong [33]).

17.2.2 TM Case
For the TM case, a similar guidance condition analogous to (17.2.1) can be derived but with
the understanding that the reflection coefficients in (17.2.1) are now TM reflection coefficients.
Similar derivations show that the above guidance conditions, for 2 = 0 , µ2 = µ0 , reduce to
s 2
d2

0 d d d
β1x tan β1x = ω 2 (µ1 1 − µ0 0 )
− β1x , even modes (17.2.23)
1 2 2 4 2
s 2
d2

0 d d 2
d
− β1x cot β1x = ω (µ1 1 − µ0 0 ) − β1x , odd modes (17.2.24)
1 2 2 4 2
190 Electromagnetic Field Theory

17.2.3 A Note on Cut-Off of Dielectric Waveguides

The concept of cut-off in dielectric waveguides is quite different from that of hollow waveguides
that we shall learn next. A mode is guided in a dielectric waveguide if the wave is trapped
inside, in this case, the dielectric slab. The trapping is due to the total internal reflections at
the top and the bottom interfaces of the waveguide. When total internal reflection ceases to
occur at any of the two interfaces, the wave is not guided or trapped inside the dielectric slab
anymore. This happens when αix = 0 where i can indicate the top-most or the bottom-most
region. In other words, the wave ceases to be evanescent in one of the Region i’s.