Improved fully vectorial effective index method in photonic crystal fiber

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Optical Fiber Simulation
• Computational Electromagnetics

Background:

• Simulating photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) is crucial for developing advanced optical devices.
• The fully vectorial effective index method (FVEIM) is a common simulation technique, but it relies on an inaccurate fixed value for the normalized equivalent core radius (p/Lambda).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an improved simulation method for PCFs that addresses the inaccuracies of the FVEIM.
• To establish a relationship between p/Lambda, normalized frequency (Lambda/lambda), and hole-to-pitch ratio (d/Lambda) for PCF simulations.

Main Methods:

• The study proposes the improved fully vectorial effective index method (IFVEIM).
• The IFVEIM incorporates a novel relation for p/Lambda based on normalized frequency and hole-to-pitch ratio.
• Modal properties were computed using IFVEIM and compared against the multipole method and experimental data.

Main Results:

• The IFVEIM accurately computes modal properties like effective index and total dispersion.
• Computed results from IFVEIM closely match those obtained by the multipole method.
• The effective index errors in IFVEIM are reduced by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude compared to previous methods.

Conclusions:

• The IFVEIM provides a significant advancement in the accuracy of PCF simulations.
• This improved method enhances the reliability of simulating PCF modal properties.
• IFVEIM offers a more precise tool for the design and analysis of photonic crystal fibers.