THE BEAM PROPAGATION METHOD

AND ITS APPLICATION IN PHOTONICS

AND OPTOELECTRONICS DESIGN

Dušan Đurđević

Abstract

This work focuses on the Beam Propagation Method, which has been developed in recent two decades as an approximate method for the numerical solution of Helmholtz’s equation and electromagnetic field simulation in photonics and optoelectronics.

The Beam Propagation Method (BPM) is developed under paraxial approximation of Helmholtz’s equation, known as Fresnel’s equation. BPM prefers numerical simulation of the field (wave) propagation through geometrically complex dielectric structure, over analytical solution. BPM is conceptually simple, flexible, thus becoming the most popular simulation method in modern photonics.

The theoretical basis of the BPM and application examples is given. Special focus is put on the recent state-of-the-art advances in the BPM development, as well as on the most attractive future trends in nowadays BPM research and use.

Key words: optoelectronics, photonics, beam propagation, finite difference method, numerical simulations.