High-accuracy finite-difference equations for dielectric waveguide analysis I: uniform regions and dielectric interfaces

A methodology is presented that allows the derivation of low-truncation-error finite-difference representations or the two-dimensional Helmholtz equation, specific to waveguide analysis. This methodology is derived from the formal infinite series solution involving Bessel functions and sines and cosines. The resulting finite-difference equations are valid everywhere except at dielectric corners, and are highly accurate (from fourth to sixth order, depending on the type of grid employed). None the less, they utilize only a nine-point stencil, and thus lead to only minor increases in numerical effort compared with the standard Crank-Nicolson equations.