Analysis of Polarization-Maintaining 3-D Waveguide in Very Thin Multilayer Films Structure

We propose and analyze a new optical three-dimensional waveguide having the function of a single-mode polarization-maintaining wavegwde or TE/TM mode splitter. The structure of a dielectric optical waveguide proposed here consists of very thin multilayer films of optical materials with two different refractive indices for the confinement of the height direction and the strong mode separation between TE and TM and the rib-type waveguide for the confinement of the lateral direction. The method of analysis is based on the "mode-matching method using the planar circuit equations" and a familiai microwave equivalent circuit for 3-D waveguide-structures has been presented. This equivalent circuit derives the complete set of hybrid modes included mode conversion effects. In this paper, we also discuss on several fundamental properties of the guided mode for various structure parameters in the optical 3-D waveguide.