Efficient and accurate vector mode calculations by beam propagation method

An in-depth study of the beam propagation method for the vector mode calculation of optical waveguides is presented. It is established that the imaginary-distance propagation method may be generalized to vectorial modes for arbitrary structures by combining it with the finite-difference vector beam propagation method (FD-VBPM). A simple, unified theory and analysis are developed. An assessment of the accuracy and efficiency is carried out by comparing the simulated results with the analytical solutions for well-known structures.>