The cladded parabolic-index profile waveguide - Analysis and application to stripe-geometry lasers

A two-dimensional real waveguide having a parabolic distribution of dielectric permittivity in the core region, flanked by cladding layers of constant refractive index is proposed as a model for a class of stripe-geometry injection lasers. The model is analysed by a series-solution method and results are given in terms of plots of normalized propagation constant, near-field filling factor, and far-field half-angle, all versus normalized frequency. These results are compared with those for the alternative models of (a) a homogeneous core waveguide, and (b) a medium whose dielectric permittivity varies quadratically with position throughout the whole of space. Apart from the series-solution method which was employed, a survey is included of other techniques available for analysing this waveguide model. These include perturbation theory, variational analysis, an exact solution of the scalar wave equation, and the WKB approximation.