Treatment with Wave Optics

Abstract

In this chapter we will start with Maxwell's equationsMaxwell's equations, derive a wave equation, apply this to the geometry of the fiber, and finally arrive at the modal structure. Closed solutions can be obtained for step index fibers and for gradient index fibers without cladding (i.e., when the gradient continues ad infinitum). We will restrict our treatment to step index fibers. For the sake of clarity, we will also use several approximations in order to emphasize important issues over detail.