2/17/2014

ECE5390SpecialTopics:
21st CenturyElectromagnetics
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
EMail:

Dr.Raymond C.Rumpf
A337
(915)7476958
rcrumpf@utep.edu

Spring2014

Lecture #5

Coupled-Mode Theory
Lecture 5

Lecture Outline

Lecture5

Electromagnetic modes
Coupled-mode theory
Codirectional coupling
Contradirectional coupling
Non-directional coupling
Phase matching with gratings
Mode-matching vs. coupled-wave models

Slide2

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Electromagnetic
Modes

What are modes?

Modescanmeanmanydifferentthingsdependingonthecontextitis
beingused.

Differentdiscreteeigenmodesinawaveguide
Differentpolarizations
Differentdirections
Etc.

GeneralizedDefinition:
Anelectromagneticmodeiselectromagneticpowerthatexists
independentanddifferentfromotherelectromagneticpower.
Lecture5

Slide4

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Modes in a Waveguide

Lecture5

Slide5

Waves in Free Space

PoincareSphere
Lecture5

Slide6

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Resonant Modes

Lecture5

Slide7

Coupled-Mode
Theory

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Modes in Two Waveguides

TriangleWaveguide

E1 E0,1 x, y e j 1z

H1 H 0,1 x, y e j 1z

SquareWaveguide

E2 E0,2 x, y e j 2 z

H 2 H 0,2 x, y e j 2 z

Lecture5

Slide9

Supermodes
When two waveguides are in close proximity, they become coupled.
The pair forms supermodes.
CoupledWaveguides

Lecture5

CoupledWaveguides

Slide10

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Visualization of Coupled-Modes
When two waveguides are in close proximity,
they become coupled and exchange power as a
function of z.
Very often, this leads to a periodic exchange
of power between the waveguides.
Waveguide arrays are more complicated
to analyze, but involve the same
concepts.

Launch
Lecture5

Slide11

Perturbation Analysis
Assumption To simplify the analysis, it will be assumed that the
supermodes can be represented as a weighted sum of the individual
guided modes. This implies that the modes do not change at all with
the introduction of the second guide. In reality, the modes are
deformed slightly, but are still coupled.

E A z E1 B z E2

H A z H1 B z H 2

A z amplitude of 1st mode

B z amplitude of 2nd mode

When two waveguides are in close proximity, they become coupled

and exchange power as a function of z.
Lecture5

Slide12

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Assumed Solution in
Perturbation Analysis
We start with the following solution.

Ignoringmagneticresponse

E j0 H

H j 0 r E

E A z E1 B z E2

H A z H1 B z H 2

We substitute these into Maxwells curl equations to obtain

dA
dB
z E1
z E2
0
dz
dz
dA

dB

j 0 r 1 AE1 z H 2
j 0 r 2 BE2 0
z H1
dz
dz

To do this, we made use of the following vector identity

dA

AE A E A E A E
z E
dz

Lecture5

Slide13

Derivation of the Generalized

Coupled-Mode Equations
We have the following equations enforcing Maxwells equations.

dB
z E
0
z E dA
dz
dz
1

j
z H dA
dz
1

r 1 AE1 z H 2

dB
j 0 r 2 BE2 0
dz

Eq.(1)
Eq.(2)

We substitute these into general integral equations describing

orthogonality condition in lossless isotropic waveguides

Lecture5

E1* Eq. 2 H1* Eq. 1 dxdy 0

E2* Eq. 2 H 2* Eq. 1 dxdy 0

Slide14

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Generalized Coupled-Mode
Equations
After LOTS of algebra, we get (i.e. it is easily shown that )

dA
dB j 2 1 z
j z
c12
j 1 A j12 Be 2 1 0
e
dz
dz
dB
dA j 2 1 z
j z
c21
j 2 B j 21 Ae 2 1 0
e
dz
dz
These are called the generalized coupled-mode equations. These are
solved to describe the coupling between the two waveguides.
ModeCouplingCoefficient

ButtCouplingCoefficient

*
r r ,q E p Eq dxdy

pq

c pq

z E *p H p E p H *p dxdy

z E *p H q Eq H *p dxdy

z E *p H p E p H *p dxdy

ChangeinPropagationConstant


0 r r ,q E *p E p dxdy

p
*

*
z E p H p E p H p dxdy

p, q 1 or 2
Lecture5

Slide15

Mode Coupling Coefficient, pq

The mode coupling coefficient is calculated according to

pq

r ,q E *p Eq dxdy

z E *p H p E p H *p dxdy

This parameter quantifies how efficiently power leaks from

waveguide p to waveguide q due to the behavior of the supermode.

r is the dielectric function containing both waveguides.

r,q is dielectric function with only waveguide q.
Lecture5

Slide16

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Butt Coupling Coefficient, cpq

The coefficient cpq quantifies the excitation efficiency from one
waveguide to the other. It is called the butt coupling coefficient and
is calculated according to

c pq

z E *p H q Eq H *p dxdy

z E *p H p E p H *p dxdy

Buttcoupling
Lecture5

Slide17

Change in Propagation Constant, p

When the qth waveguide is brought into proximity to pth waveguide,
the propagation constant in the pth waveguide changes by p.

r , q E *p E p dxdy

z E *p H p E p H *p dxdy

We expect p to be largest when the waveguides are the closest and

the fields are perturbed more strongly affecting the propagation
constant.
Many analyses just assume = 0.
Lecture5

Slide18

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Mode-Coupling Vs. Butt Coupling

ButtCoupling
Thisisanendfiremechanismandoccurs
becausepartsofthemodefromone
waveguidematchthemodefromthesecond.

ModeCoupling
Thisisaleakagemechanismandoccursdue
tothepropagationbehaviorofthesupermode.
Lecture5

19

Normalized Power in EigenModes

The total power in waveguide p is

Pp

*
1

H
p
p zdxdy

2

We see that the denominator in the prior equations is 4Pp.

Without loss of generality, we normalized the power in the eigenmodes according to

4 Pp

z E *p H p E p H *p dxdy 1

After normalizing the power, it is then easily shown that

c21 c

*
12

Lecture5

*
q
Slide20

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Power in Supermode
The power in the supermode is

*
1

E
H zdxdy
2

After some algebra, this becomes

1 2
2
A B A* Bc12 e j 2 z AB*c12* e j 2 z

2 1
2

Lecture5

Slide21

Consequences of Conservation
of Power
For waveguides without loss or gain,

dP
0
dz
This leads to
*
jA* B 21
12 2 c12 e j 2 z jAB* 21 12* 2 c12* e j 2 z 0

For this to be satisfied independent of z, we must have

21 12* 2 c12*

Note,weonlyhavewhen:
21 12*
1=2 (identicalwaveguides) =0,or
Waveguidesaresufficientlyseparatedsothat c12* 0
Ifthewaveguidesareverycloseorareverydifferent,the
2 c12* termcannotbeignored.

Lecture5

Slide22

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Revised Coupled Mode

Equations
Our coupled-mode equations can now be written as

dA
j a Be j 2 z j a A
dz
dB
j b Ae j 2 z j b B
dz

a
b
a
b

12 c12 2
1 c12

21 c12* 1
1 c12

21c21 1
1 c12

12 c12* 2
1 c12

Lecture5

Slide23

Simplified Coupled Mode

Equations
Assuming cpq=p=0, the coupled-mode equations are written as

dA
j z
j12 Be 2 1
dz
dB
j z
j 21 Ae 2 1
dz
Thesearetheequationsthatmostanalysesuse.

Lecture5

Slide24

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Codirectional
Coupling

Picture of Codirectional Coupling

Exit

Launch

Lecture5

Slide26

13

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General Coupled-Mode Solution

In codirectional coupling, both modes are propagating in the same
direction and usually with similar propagation constants.

1 0 and 2 0
*
Reciprocity requires that 12 21 . Most often, pq is real so

12 21
The general solution to the coupled-mode equations is

A z a1e j z a2 e j z e j z
B z b1e j z b2 e j z e j z

Initialconditions

a1 a2 A 0
b1 b2 B 0

Lecture5

Slide27

Solution with Boundary

Conditions
The final solution for A(z) and B(z) are

j
j

sin z A 0
sin z B 0 e j z
A z cos z

j
j

B z sin z A 0 cos z
sin z B 0 e j z

2 2
Note, .

Lecture5

Slide28

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Typical Solution in Terms of

Power
In most cases, power is injected into only one waveguide.

A 0 A0

B 0 0

Our equations for A(z) and B(z) reduce to

j
A z A0 cos z
sin z e j z

B z A0

sin z e j z

It is often more meaningful to write similar expressions in terms of

the power in each waveguide as a function of z.
A z

Pa z

A0
A0

1 F sin 2 z

Maximumpowercouplingefficiency
2

Bz

Pb z

1
F
2

F sin 2 z

Lecture5

Slide29

Typical Response of
Codirectional Couplers
Maximumsoccurat

zm
2m 1 m 0,1, 2,...
2

0 F 1

3 2

CouplingLength
Thelengthoverwhichmaximumpower
istransferredtothesecondwaveguide
iscalledthecouplinglength.

Lc

2 2 2 2

2 F 0.2

When1=2 (i.e. = 0),

Lc
Lecture5

3 2

2
Slide30

15

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Contradirectional
Coupling
(Bragg Grating)

Contradirectional Coupling
In contradirectional coupling, the coupled-modes are propagating in
opposite directions.
Let the second mode be the backward propagation mode.

1 0 and 2 0
*
Reciprocity requires that 12 21
.

Lecture5

Slide32

16

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Conditions for Contradirectional

Coupling
Contradirectional coupling cannot occur by simply bringing two
waveguides in proximity. Typically a grating is used to couple the
counter propagating modes.

waveguide1
grating
waveguide2

12 z G e

2
z

Themodecouplingcoefficientis
nowaperiodicfunction.

Lecture5

Slide33

Contradirectional Coupled-Mode
Equations
The coupled-mode equations are now written as

j 2 1
z
dA

j G Be
dz

dB
j G Ae
dz

Lecture5

j 2 1

12 G e
*
21

2
z

Slide34

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Phase Matching Conditions

We introduce the following phase matching condition of the grating.

1 2

We will have three cases

Case 1: G
Case 2: G
Case 3: G

Passband.Forwardoutput.Temporary
andconfinedpeakinreflectedmode.
Bandedge.
Stopband.Reflectedoutput.Bandof
reflection.

Lecture5

Slide35

Case 1: ||>G (Pass Band)

The mode amplitudes are:
A z A0
B z A0

cos z L j sin z L j z
e
cos L j sin L
j G sin z L

cos L j sin L

2 G2

e j z

The normalized forward and backward power

Pf z
Pb z
Lecture5

A z
A0

Bz
A0

2 G2 sin 2 z L
2 G2 sin 2 L

G2 sin 2 z L
2 G2 sin 2 L

Slide36

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Case 2: ||=G (Band Edge)

The mode amplitudes are:
1 j z L j z
A z A0
e
1 j L

j G z L j z
e
1 j L

B z A0

The normalized forward and backward power

Pf z
Pb z

A z
A0

1 G2 z L

1 G2 L2

G2 z L

1 G2 L2

Bz
A0

Lecture5

Slide37

Case 3: ||<G (Stop Band)

The mode amplitudes are:

A z A0
B z A0

cosh z L j sinh z L j z
e
cosh L j sinh L
j G sinh z L

cosh L j sinh L

e j z

G2 2

The normalized forward and backward power

Pf z
Pb z
Lecture5

A z
A0

Bz
A0

2 G2 sinh 2 z L
2 G2 sinh 2 L

G2 sinh 2 z L
2 G2 sinh 2 L

Slide38

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Typical Bragg Response

RESPONSEOFABRAGGGRATING

100%

PassBand
G

PassBand
G
Transmittance(T)

StopBand

Reflectance(R)

B 0
A0

A L
A0

Frequency(k0)

k0 neff

B 2neff

k0 neff

Braggwavelength
Lecture5

Slide39

Non-Directional
Coupling

20

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Non-Directional Coupling
Itturnsoutthatwecancouplewavestravellingindifferentdirections.
Thisiscallednondirectionalcoupling.

K k1 k2

k2

Gratingvectorsinoppositedirections
describethesamegrating.

k1

Wave1

k2

Wave2

k1

Gratingthatwouldcouple
wave1andwave2

Lecture5

41

Phase Matching
with Gratings

21

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Generalized Framework
Howdowecoupletwocompletelydifferentmodessotheycan
exchangepower?Ordinarily,thiswillnothappen.

Lecture5

Slide43

Phase Matching
Wecancoupleanytwomodesusingagrating.

Thephasematchingconditiontocoupleenergybetweentwo
modesis

K 1 2

Lecture5

K
Slide44

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Grating Coupler Regimes

Shortperiodgratings
Bragggratings
Contradirectional coupling

Mediumperiodgratings
Nondirectionalcoupling

Longperiodgratings
Codirectional coupling

Lecture5

Slide45

Mode-Matching
Vs.
Coupled-Wave

23

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Frameworks to Model
Propagation
Both mode-matching and coupled-mode frameworks view
devices as consisting of a series of segments that are
uniform in the z-direction.

Lecture5

Slide47

Mode-Matching Framework (1 of 3)
Mode matching views the field in a segment as being the
sum of a set of orthogonal basis functions (eigen-modes).
E x

f1 x

f2 x

f3 x

f4 x

E x am f m x
m

Lecture5

Slide48

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Mode-Matching Framework (2 of 3)
The modes within a segment accumulate phase differently
as they propagate, but they do not interact and they
propagate independently.
j z

E x, z am f m x e m

complete description
of the m th eigen-mode

E x, z
f1 x e j 1z
f 2 x e j2 z

f 3 x e j 3 z

=
+

f 4 x e j 4 z

+
Lecture5

Slide49

Mode-Matching Framework (3 of 3)
At an interface, the power redistributes itself among the
eigen-modes in the next segment.
boundaryconditions

+ +

E1 x, z0 E2 x, z0

1, m 1, m

Lecture5

x e j

1,m z0

a2,m f 2,m x e

j 2,m z0

Slide50

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Conclusions About Mode-Matching

The mode-matching framework applies to more than
waveguides
Metamaterials, gratings, electromagnetic band gap
materials, frequency selective surfaces, transmission lines,
guided-mode resonance filters, photonic crystals, and
more.

Modes do not interact and they propagate

independently with their own propagation constant.
Power among the modes scrambles at an interface.
The overall field is the sum of the eigen-modes
Lecture5

Slide51

Coupled-Wave Framework (1 of 3)
Coupled-wave views the field in a segment as being the
sum of a set of plane wave basis functions.

E x

jk x ,1 x

E x am e

jk x ,m x

Lecture5

Slide52

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Coupled-Wave Framework (2 of 3)
The waves within a segment are coupled. So, in addition to
accumulating phase as they propagate, they also interact by
exchanging power (coupled). The mode coefficients are therefore a
function of z.
jk x
E x, z am z e
x ,m

Lecture5

Slide53

Coupled-Wave Framework (3 of 3)
At an interface, the amplitudes of the plane waves on either
side remain the same to enforce boundary conditions. This is
because the same basis functions are being used on both sides..
boundaryconditions

E1 x, z0 E2 x, z0

a ze
1, m

Lecture5

jk x ,m x

a2,m z e

jk x ,m x

Slide54

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Conclusions about Coupled-Wave

The coupled-mode framework applies to more than
waveguides
Metamaterials, gratings, electromagnetic band gap materials,
frequency selective surfaces, transmission lines, guided-mode
resonance filters, photonic crystals, and more.

Modes can interact. In addition to accumulating phase

as they propagate, modes can exchange power.
Nothing interesting happens at an interface as the
amplitudes of the modes remain constant across the
interface (ignoring reflections)
The overall field is the sum of the basis functions
Lecture5

Slide55

How Do We Reconcile These

Two Theories?
Planewavesdonotexistininhomogeneousmaterials.
Ifweforcethemtoexist,theyexistinsetsandtheplanewaves
exchangeenergyastheypropagate.
Inthissense,wecanthinkofmodesasthesetofplanewavesthat
propagateindependentlyofothersetsofplanewaves.
Thistransformscoupledmodeframeworktothemodematching
framework.

Lecture5

56

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