Matrix analysis of microring coupled-resonator optical waveguides

We use the coupling matrix formalism to investigate continuous-wave and pulse propagation through microring coupled-resonator optical waveguides (CROWs). The dispersion relation agrees with that derived using the tight-binding model in the limit of weak inter-resonator coupling. We obtain an analytical expression for pulse propagation through a semi-infinite CROW in the case of weak coupling which fully accounts for the nonlinear dispersive characteristics. We also show that intensity of a pulse in a CROW is enhanced by a factor inversely proportional to the inter-resonator coupling. In finite CROWs, anomalous dispersions allows for a pulse to propagate with a negative group velocity such that the output pulse appears to emerge before the input as in "superluminal" propagation. The matrix formalism is a powerful approach for microring CROWs since it can be applied to structures and geometries for which analyses with the commonly used tight-binding approach are not applicable. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.