1

Mode Theory for

Optical Fiber
2
Transverse Electric (TE) Modes
Electric field is perpendicular to the direction of
propagation.

Most of the magnetic field is also perpendicular to the z-
direction but a small z-component exists.

The ray path is meridional.

It is not circular or skewed.
3
Transverse Magnetic (TM) Modes
Magnetic field is perpendicular to the direction of
propagation.

Most of the electric field is also perpendicular to the z-
direction but a small z-component exists.
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Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM) Modes
In the TEM mode both the electric and magnetic fields
are perpendicular to the direction of propagation i.e. z.

5
Helical (Hydrid) Modes (HE and EH)
In a fibre, many modes also travel in a helical path of
some kind.

In this case components of both magnetic and electric
fields are in the direction of propagation. Ez 0 and Hz
0.

These modes are designated as either HE or EH
depending on which field contributes the most to the z-
direction.
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Skew Rays in Fiber
Skew rays do not pass through the fibre centre axis.
Skew rays greatly outnumber meridional rays.
Skew rays follow a helical path within the fibre.
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Skew Rays in Fiber
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Acceptance Angle For Skew Rays
S
9
Wave equation for optical waveguide are given as
2
2
2
t c
c
= V
v
uc v
2
2
2
2
1
t
v
p
c
c
= V
v
v
It is the Laplacian operater. In cylindrical coordinate
system it is given as:
2
2
2
2
2 2
2
2
1 1
z r r r r r c
c
+
c
c
+
c
c
+
c
c
= V
v v v v
v
Here represents Electric field (E) or Magnetic field (H)
) (
) (
z t j jl
z z
e e r
| e o
v v

=
10
If we solve the wave equation of optical waveguide for t, z
and we get a differential equation:
( ) 0
1
2
2
2 2
2
1
2
2
=

+
c
c
+
c
c
z
z z
r
l
k n
r r r
v |
v v
The above equation is a Bessel differential equation, for
core region the solutions are Bessel function denoted by
J
l.

( ) | | 0
2 2 2
2
1
2
2
2
2
= +
c
c
+
c
c
z
z z
l k n r
r
r
r
r v |
v v
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Bessel functions are a series of solutions to a second
order differential equation
Applied to the situation with cylindrical symmetry.
Solutions of Bessel function is




J
l
(x) is the Bessel function of first kind and order l.
A graph of this with x is shown in the next slide.
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The field is finite at r = 0 and it is represented by zero
order Bessel function J
0


As r increases and goes towards infinity the field vanishes
and in the cladding this solution is given by another
function called Modified Bessel functions denoted by K
l
.

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Graph of modified Bessel function K
l
(r) against r for l=0,1
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Cylindrical Fiber Modes
As with dielectric waveguide TE and TM modes are
common.
The cylindrical fiber is bound in two directions hence
two integers l and m are necessary to specify the
modes.
For cylindrical waveguides we refer to TE
lm
, TM
lm
,
HE
lm
and EH
lm
modes.
The EH and HE modes are due to nonzero E
z
and H
z

components.

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OF support weakly guiding approximation, where
Relative RI difference () is very small as compared to
unity.
<< 1, generally is taken less then 0.03 i.e. 3%.
In fiber communication actual field distribution is the
combination of modes rather than any one mode.
Thus TE, TM, HE and EH modes can all be explained
using only a single set of Linearly Polarized modes.
LP modes are not the exact fiber modes but they are
resultant modes due to approximation.
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For these guiding structures the mode theory gives
dominant transverse field components, i.e. the
approximate solutions for the full set of HE, EH, TE and
TM modes, given by two linearly polarized components
called LP modes.

LP modes also use subscripts l and m.

2l field minima exist around circumference of core and m
field maxima along radius vector.
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Correspondence Between LP Modes And Traditional
Exact Modes
Linearly Polarized Mode Exact Modes
LP
01
HE
11

LP
11
HE
21
,TE
01
, TM
01

LP
21
HE
31
, EH
11

LP
02
HE
12
LP
31
HE
41
, EH
21
LP
12
HE
22
, TE
02
, TM
02
LP
0m
HE
1m
LP
lm
HE
2m
, TE
0m
, TM
0m
LP
lm(l >1)
HE
l+1 m
, EH
l-1 m
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Energy Distribution of Some LP Modes in Fiber
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V
c
is different for different modes.
First zero crossing of J
1
occurs at V = 0 and this
corresponds to cutoff for LP
01
mode.
The first zero crossing for J
0
is when V = 2.405 giving V
c

for LP
11
mode.
Second zero crossing for J
1
occurs at V = 3.83 giving V
c
for LP
02
of 3.83

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Hence we can have fibers manufactured with a particular
V no. for limiting certain modes.

It may be further noted that cutoff value of V i.e. V
c

occurs when = n
2
k correspond to b = 0

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U and W are equal to the eigen-values in the core and
cladding respectively defined as
U = a(n
1
2
k
2

2
)
1/2
W = a(
2
n
2
2
k
2
)
1/2

A very useful relation using U and W can be given by
V = (U
2
+ W
2
)
1/2
V = ka(n
1
2
n
2
2
)
1/2
V is called the normalized frequency or V number.
It is a dimensionless parameter.
Expression relates core radius, relative reflective index
difference () and wavelength.

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Another important parameter can also define is the
normalized propagation constant b for a fiber as

b = 1 (U
2
/V
2
)
b = [(/k)
2
n
2
2
] / (n
1
2
n
2
2
)
b

= [(/k)
2
n
2
2
] / 2n
1
2


The limit of is between n
1
k and n
2
k but b lies between
0 - 1
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b-V Curve
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Unguided or radiating modes have frequencies below
cutoff where < n
2
k and W is imaginary or zero.
These modes are also called leaky modes.

As moves toward n
2
k less and less power is
propagated in cladding and when it becomes = n
1
k
all power is confined to core.

Range of signifies the guided modes in the fiber.
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Now we have b and as function of V, propagation
characteristics of modes and their dependence on
frequency and fiber geometry can be obtained.

When = n
2
k, then mode is no longer properly guided.

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Mode Coupling
Due to waveguide perturbation such:
Deviation of fiber axis from straigthness.
Variation in the core diameter.
Irregularities at the core-cladding interface.
Refractive index variations.
It may change the propagation characteristics of fiber.
Result in coupling of energy traveling in one mode to
another.
Hence individual mode do not propagate throughout
the fiber.
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Mode Field Diameter
Modes in Fiber are defined on the EM field
distribution in radial direction.
MFD is important in SM operation.
Normally modes are not confined in core only.
There is field penetration in the cladding depending
on wave length.
The diameter of the fiber region in which propagation
of any mode occurs is called as MFD.
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The field distribution can be well approximated by
Gaussian Distribution.

MDF is equal to the width in which Gaussian field
strength is more then or equal to the 1/e times of
maximum value.
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