Propagation properties of guided waves in index-guided two-dimensional optical waveguides

Index-guided two-dimensional (2D) optical waveguides are numerically studied to investigate propagation properties of guided optical waves. The 2D optical waveguide consists of a dielectric thin film sandwiched between two semi-infinite metals. We demonstrate that vertically localized 2D optical waves can be laterally confined and guided by index guiding when the dielectric film has a high-refractive-index core and claddings of a lower index. The index guiding provides good optical power transmittance, otherwise optical power is rapidly attenuated due to lateral beam divergence. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.