ADVANCED MODE SOLVER USING AN INTEGRAL-EQUATION TECHNIQUE AND ENTIRE DOMAIN PLANE-WAVE BASIS FUNCTIONS

This work deals with the analysis and modelling of optical and millime tre-wave integrated circuits. The mathematical formulation is based on the method of integral equations, which are subsequently solved numer ically by employing Galerkin's technique. The novel concept in this wo rk lies with the development of a set of entire domain basis functions used to expand the unknown electric field in the waveguides' cross-se ctions. These functions have the simple form of plane waves and satisf y Maxwell's equations, therefore representing a proper expansion mecha nism. As a demonstration of the developed computer code, configuration s of single and coupled rectangular dielectric waveguides in a wide va riety of open and closed substrate geometries are examined. The result s presented, concerning the dispersion curves and the field patterns, give excellent agreement with published results of other methods. Furt hermore, attenuation constants of lossy waveguides are numerically inv estigated. The main conclusion of the research presented in this contr ibution is that the entire domain plane wave basis functions (PWBFs) i ntroduced provide a powerful tool for the unified modelling of a wide class of optical and millimetre-wave transmission lines.