Guided waves and eigenvalue extraction from propagation characteristics

Abstract

Guided-wave theory is well established, with wonderful canonical examples and classical lecture notes. Its beauty and strength comes from mathematical derivations. Guided-wave problems can be put into two groups: eigenvalue problems (i.e., the effects of the environment on the propagating waves), and the Green's function problem (the effects of the excitation on the environment). This tutorial reviews guided-wave theory in two dimensions, with characteristic examples and numerical simulations. The aim is to present alternative notes with simulation packages for both undergraduate- and graduate-level guided-wave-theory courses.