Photonic crystal fibres: mapping Maxwell's equations onto a Schrodinger equation eigenvalue problem

Abstract

We consider photonic crystal fibres (PCFs) made from arbitrary base materials and introduce a short-wavelength approximation which allows for a mapping of the Maxwell's equations onto a dimensionless eigenvalue equations which has the form of the Schrodinger equation in quantum mechanics. The mapping allows for an entire analytical solution of the dispersion problem which is in qualitative agreement with plane-wave simulations of the Maxwell's equations for large-mode area PCFs. We offer a new angle on the foundation of the endlessly single-mode property and show that PCFs are endlessly single mode for a normalized air-hole diameter smaller than ~0.42, independently of the base material. Finally, we show how the group-velocity dispersion relates simply to the geometry of the photonic crystal cladding.