Coupled-mode analysis of contra-directional coupling between two asymmetric photonic crystal waveguides

Abstract

A self-contained coupled-mode theory for the coupled two asymmetric photonic crystal waveguides (PCWs) is presented. The first-order coupled-mode equations are derived under a weak coupling assumption. The coupling coefficients are obtained systematically by a matrix calculus using the modal solutions of each PCW in isolation. The coupled-mode equations are solved for contra-directional coupling between two asymmetric PCWs formed by a hexagonal lattice of circular air holes in a dielectric medium. The power transmission spectra at different output ports of the coupled PCWs are investigated. It is shown that the self-contained coupled-mode analysis is useful to characterize a peculiar feature of the contra-directionally coupled PCWs as a drop filter.