KNT 3513 Optical Fiber Communication

Semester2, Sesi 20ll/2012

Assignment lSo/o
FIBER MODES

Introduction
At any frequency crl,optical fibers can support a
finite number of guided modes whose
spatialdistribution E(r,at) is solution of wave equation,
-._2 _

v2 E+n'(ar)*p
"c'

=o

satisfies all appropriateboundaryconditions.

In addition, the fiber can supporta continuumof

unguidedradiation modes.

EigenvaluesEquation
Becauseof cylindrical symmetry of fibers, it is
useful to expressthe wave equation in
cylindrical coordinatesp, $ andz:
a'E,

la E

la2E

A 2E
ap'- ; a p * V a 1 .*, a r , + n ' kfE= o

where k, =
I

, E(r,t) = ;:

=T
^oE

......( l)

is theFouriertransform
ofthe erectricfieldE, i.e.,

t- -

fE(r,co)exp(-iart)aro

(2)

218 ,l

Similarrelationsexist for the magneticfierdH (r,t).

As E andH satisfyMaxweil,s
equations;
V" E=- @

Vx H = J *d D
At
Vo D = p f
V o B- 0

(3)

only two components

out of sixareindependent.
rt is customaryto choose8., andfi," as
theindependent
compolentland r- --Eo,Fo
;";"ii;.
BothE",andfr, satisiyEq.(l). "*pr"rr^Eo,
""dfi;;;;;;";i;,

Preparedby Hajjah SakenaBt. Abdul Jabar

Departmentof Electronic Engineering

KNT 3513 Optical Fiber Communication

Semester2, Sesi20ll/2012

The wave equationfor E, is easily solvedby using the method of separationof variables,
resultingin the following resulting in the following generalform:

E" (r, ar)= A(co)F(p)exp(t im4)exp(iBz)

.(4)

WhereA is a normalization constant,B is propagationconstant,m is an integer,and F(p)

is the solutionof

#.;#.["0'-o'-4)'=o

(5)

Wherethe refractive index n:n1 for p< a for a fiber of core radius a but takesthe value nz
outsidethe core (p>a).
Equation (5) is the well known differential equation for Bessel functions. Its general
solution inside the core can be written as function,
F(p)= c,J-(rp)+ c rN. (rp ),

. . . . . . . . . . . (6 )

WhereJ,nis the Besselfunction, N,n is the Neumannfunction, and

-B'I
*=(nik3

(7)

The constant Cr and Cz arc determinedusing boundary conditions. As N,n (rp) has a
singularity at p:0, Cz:O for a physically meaningful solution. The constant Cr can be
absorbedin A appearingin Eq.(4).
F(p)= J. (* p ),

PSa

. . . . . . . (8 . 1 )

In the cladding region (p>a), the solution F(p) shouldbe suchthat it decaysexponentially
for large p. The modified Besselfunction K. representssucha solution. Therefore,

F (p )= K .( vp) ,

p> a

.......( 8.2)

where

y =(B'-"'rk?'i'
.

.(e)

The same procedure can be followed to obtain the magnetic-field componentfr, fn.
boundary condition that the tangential componentsof E and Fi be continous acrossthe
core-cladding interface requires that Er, Hr, Eo, and H4 be the same when p:a is
approachedfrom inside or outsidethe core.Theequality of thesefield componentsat p :
a leadsto eigenvalueequationwhose determinethe propagationconstantB for the fiber
Preparedby Hajjah SakenaBt. Abdul Jabar
Departmentof Electronic Engineering

KNT3513OpticalFiberCommunication
Semester
2, Sesi20ll/2012
modes bin." the whole procedureis well known, then the eigenvalue equation
is
written as:

K,(vu)-]--t!slf+94*' TK,(yu)JL's.(*)-;tyK;6dJ:
";f,,9"),1=['"Bu,("i
;";)]' ......(r0)
**1u-

L*r.(*)

Where a prime denotes differentiation with respect to the argument and we used
the
importantrelation

r ' + y' = ( n i-

" ' r \r 3

The eigenvalue eq (10) in general has several solutions

for Bfor each integer value of m.
It is customaryto expressthesesolutionsby B,nn,where both m and n integervalues.
Each eigenvalueB*, correspondsto one specificmode supportedby the fiber.
The corresponding
modal field diameteris obtainedAoml8;.
For m:0, the modesare analogousto the transverseelectric (TE) and transversemagnetic
( TM ) modes of planar waveguidebecausethe axial componentof the electric
field, or
the magneticfield, vanishes.

However, for m)0, fiber modes become hvbrid.

electromagneticfield are nonzero.

Preparedby Hajjah SakenaBt. Abdul Jabar

Departmentof Electronic Engineering

all six components of

\ -\

KNT 3513OpticalFiberCommunication
Semester
2, Sesi201l/2012

Ouestions:
1. Whatis themethodof separation
of variables?
2. By modifyingBesselfunction,showthat; F(p):K,(yp)
3. Try to find severalsolutionsfor B for eachintegervalueof m.
4. FindModeFieldDistributionusingEq (4) by applyingmodelingtools.
5. Solveanyappropriate
equationto obtainfr,.
6. Determinethe valueof six component
if it is nonzero,whenm>0,consequently
it
showsfiber modesbecomehvbrid.

Prepared
by HajiahSakenaBt. AbdulJabar
Departrnentof Electonic Engineering