Waveguide structures with an antisymmetric gain/loss profile were studied more than a decade ago as benchmark tests for beam propagation methods. These structures attracted renewed interest, recently e.g. as photonic analogues of quantum mechanical structures with parity-time symmetry breaking. In this paper, properties of both weakly and strongly guiding two-mode waveguides and directional couplers with balanced loss and gain are described. Rather unusual power transmission in such structures is demonstrated by using numerical methods. We found that the interface between media with balanced loss and gain supports propagation of confined unattenuated TM polarized surface wave and we have shown that its properties are consistent with the prediction of a simple analytical model.

© 2010 OSA

1. M. Greenberg and M. Orenstein, “Unidirectional complex grating assisted couplers,” Opt. Express 12(17), 4013–4018 (2004), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-12-17-4013 . [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. M. Greenberg and M. Orenstein, “Optical Unidirectional Devices by Complex Spatial Single Sideband Perturbation,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 41(7), 1013–1023 (2005). [CrossRef]
3. M. Kulishov, J. M. Laniel, N. Bélanger, and D. V. Plant, “Trapping light in a ring resonator using a grating-assisted coupler with asymmetric transmission,” Opt. Express 13(9), 3567–3578 (2005), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-13-9-3567 . [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. R. El-Ganainy, K. G. Makris, D. N. Christodoulides, and Z. H. Musslimani, “Theory of coupled optical PT-symmetric structures,” Opt. Lett. 32(17), 2632–2634 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. K. G. Makris, R. El-Ganainy, D. N. Christodoulides, and Z. H. Musslimani, “Beam dynamics in PT symmetric optical lattices,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 100(10), 103904 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. C. E. Rüter and K. G. Makris, “R. E-Ganainy, D. N. Christoulides, M. Segev, and D. Kip, “Observation of parity–time symmetry in optics,” Nat. Phys. 6, 192–195 (2010). [CrossRef]
7. H.-P. Nolting, G. Sztefka, M. Grawert, and J. Čtyroký, “Wave Propagation in a Waveguide with a Balance of Gain and Loss,” in Integrated Photonics Research '96, (OSA, 1996), 76–79.
8. G. Guekos, ed., Photonic Devices for telecommunications: how to model and measure (Springer, Berlin, 1998).
9. J. Čtyroký, “Efficient Boundary Conditions for Bidirectional Propagation Algorithm Based on Fourier Series,” J. Lightwave Technol. 27(14), 2575–2582 (2009). [CrossRef]
10. H. Raether, Surface plasmons, Springer tracts in modern physics (Springer, Berlin, 1988), Vol. 111.
11. J. Zenneck, “Über die Fortpflanzung ebener elektromagnetischer Wellen längs einer ebenen Leiterfläche und ihre Beziehung zur drahtlosen Telegraphie,” Annalen der Physik 328(10), 846–866 (1907). [CrossRef]

Bélanger, N.
Christodoulides, D. N.
Ctyroký, J.
El-Ganainy, R.
Greenberg, M.
Kulishov, M.
Laniel, J. M.
Makris, K. G.
Musslimani, Z. H.
Orenstein, M.
Plant, D. V.
Rüter, C. E.
Zenneck, J.

Annalen der Physik

• J. Zenneck, “Über die Fortpflanzung ebener elektromagnetischer Wellen längs einer ebenen Leiterfläche und ihre Beziehung zur drahtlosen Telegraphie,” Annalen der Physik 328(10), 846–866 (1907). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Quantum Electron.

• M. Greenberg and M. Orenstein, “Optical Unidirectional Devices by Complex Spatial Single Sideband Perturbation,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 41(7), 1013–1023 (2005). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• J. Čtyroký, “Efficient Boundary Conditions for Bidirectional Propagation Algorithm Based on Fourier Series,” J. Lightwave Technol. 27(14), 2575–2582 (2009). [CrossRef]

Nat. Phys.

• C. E. Rüter and K. G. Makris, “R. E-Ganainy, D. N. Christoulides, M. Segev, and D. Kip, “Observation of parity–time symmetry in optics,” Nat. Phys. 6, 192–195 (2010). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• M. Kulishov, J. M. Laniel, N. Bélanger, and D. V. Plant, “Trapping light in a ring resonator using a grating-assisted coupler with asymmetric transmission,” Opt. Express 13(9), 3567–3578 (2005), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-13-9-3567 . [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Greenberg and M. Orenstein, “Unidirectional complex grating assisted couplers,” Opt. Express 12(17), 4013–4018 (2004), http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-12-17-4013 . [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• R. El-Ganainy, K. G. Makris, D. N. Christodoulides, and Z. H. Musslimani, “Theory of coupled optical PT-symmetric structures,” Opt. Lett. 32(17), 2632–2634 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• K. G. Makris, R. El-Ganainy, D. N. Christodoulides, and Z. H. Musslimani, “Beam dynamics in PT symmetric optical lattices,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 100(10), 103904 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Other

• H.-P. Nolting, G. Sztefka, M. Grawert, and J. Čtyroký, “Wave Propagation in a Waveguide with a Balance of Gain and Loss,” in Integrated Photonics Research '96, (OSA, 1996), 76–79.
• G. Guekos, ed., Photonic Devices for telecommunications: how to model and measure (Springer, Berlin, 1998).
• H. Raether, Surface plasmons, Springer tracts in modern physics (Springer, Berlin, 1988), Vol. 111.

2010, Rüter, Nat. Phys.
2009, Ctyroký, J. Lightwave Technol.
2008, Makris, Phys. Rev. Lett.
2007, El-Ganainy, Opt. Lett.
2005, Greenberg, IEEE J. Quantum Electron.
2005, Kulishov, Opt. Express
2004, Greenberg, Opt. Express
1907, Zenneck, Annalen der Physik

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