1

ELEC 4620 Photonics and Optical Communications

Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, HKUST
HW1 solution (total 23)
Fiber numerical aperture
1. (6) (a) core equation:
2 2
1 2
sin
a
a
n n
n
u

= (1)
(b) For air, n
a
=1, 14.03
o
a
u = (1)
(c) For water, n
a
=1.33, 10.5
o
a
u = (1)
(d) The fiber tip should be flat.
The NA calculation is based on the ray optics. Therefore, the fiber diameter should
large enough (times of wavelength). (1)
(e)
2 2
1 2
sin
a
a
n n
n
u

=
In air, if n
a
=1 and 70
o
a
u = ,thus
2 2
1 2
n n =0.883; (1)
Suppose n
1
=1.7, we have n
2
=1.42
Suppose n
2
=1.7, we have n
1
=1.94
With a 5 mm x 5 mm detector, the maximum radius is 2.5 mm. Thus, distance
L = 2.5 mm/tan(70
o
) = 0.91 mm (1)

Poynting vector, reflectivity and transmissivity
2. (3)

From the definition of pointing vector, we have the magnitude:
2
2
2
i i i i
r r r r
t t t t
S E H E
S E H E
S E H nE
= =
= =
= =

(1) For TE, boundary conditions,
2 2 2
cos ( ) cos
cos ( ) cos
t i r
t t i r i
t t i r i
E E E
nE E E
nE E E
u u
u u
= +
=
=


So cos cos cos
i i r i t t
S S S u u u = +


(2) For TM, boundary conditions,

2
2 2 2
cos ( ) cos
cos ( ) cos
t i r
t t i r i
t t i r i
nE E E
E E E
nE E E
u u
u u
=
= +
=

So cos cos cos
i i r i t t
S S S u u u = +


Total internal reflection
3. (7)

(a) (1)
1 1
1 1
1
exp[ ( cos sin )]
exp[ ( cos sin )]
exp[ ( sin )]
i i i
r i i
t i
E i t k z k x
E i t k z k x
E z i t k x
e u u
e u u
k e u
=
= +
= +


with certain fixed z, the propagation constant for the incident, reflected and refracted
light

1
1 2 2
2
sin
sin sin
sin
c
i c
i
n
k k k
n
u
| u u
u
= = =
sin
i
u is always smaller than 1 and as in total internal reflection, incident angle is larger
than the critical angle
sin
1
sin
c
i
u
u
>
We get the conclusion
2 1
k k | < <

(b) (1)For incident and reflected light, h and | are real. So these two parameters or the
component exp(i(et - hz -| x)) describe the propagation character of the wave with a
phase change corresponding to the time and position.

3
For refracted light, the x direction is the same as above. However in the z direction,
because the propagation constant is an imaginary -ik, the propagation will show an
exponential decay : exp(i(et -b x) -k z)

(c) (1)


(d) (1)



(e) (1)


4
(f) (1)


(g) (1)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evanescent_wave_coupling
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_internal_reflection


Evanescent field
4. (7)
(a) (3) Evanescent wave
0
exp( )exp( ( sin ))
evan i i
E E y j t k k e u = , where
2 2
1
2
2
sin
1
i
t
n
k
n
u
k =
Evanescent wave amplitude becomes 1/e of that at surface
0
/ exp( ) 1/
evan
E E y e k = = ,thus 1/ y k =
2 2 2 2
1 1
2 2
2
sin 1.5 sin 45 2
1 1 0.0044
500( ) 1
o
i
t
n
k nm
n mm
u t
k

= = = (1)
1/ 0.0044( ) 225.1 y nm nm = = (1)

If y=1 m, then
0
/ exp( ) exp( 0.0044*1000) 0.0118
evan
E E y k = = = (1)
5



(b) The amplitude of the field in the cladding is to decay exponentially in the
transverse direction. The evanescent field stores energy and transports it in the
direction of surface propagation, but does not transport energy in the transverse
direction. (1)