American Journal of Physics

Analog between optical waveguide system and quantum-mechanical tunneling

Tung-lin Tsai, G. Thomas

Published Jul 1, 1976• 11 citations

Abstract

The analog between an optical waveguide coupler and the quantum-mechanical double-well problem is established. Well-known results of the quantum-mechanical system are applied to the waveguide system. This way of thinking of the waveguide system provides a quick understanding of the coupling mechanism and provides new interpretations of results obtained from Maxwell’s equations. Just as ray opticals give insight into certain types of optics problems, we believe that the tunneling interpretation will give new insight into the field of guided light waves.

DOI: 10.1119/1.10323

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