Abstract

Using first-order perturbation theory, radiation losses of the lowest-order mode caused by deformations of the axes of slab waveguides and fibers with parabolic-index distributions were computed. It was found that sinusoidal bends, with a period that produces a very nearly forward directed radiation lobe, cause far more loss than bends with a shorter period that give rise to radiation escaping at larger angles relative to the axes of the waveguides. Parabolic-index fibers and slabs are far more tolerant of periodic sinusoidal axis distortions than step-index fibers and slabs, provided that the period of the distortion causes the beam to escape from the waveguide at relatively large angles (typically more than 10°). The result of this study suggests that single-mode fibers with parabolic-index profiles may have somewhat lower microbending losses than single-mode step-index fibers.

© 1978 Optical Society of America

Length optimization of an S-shaped transition between offset optical waveguides

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