Determination of propagation constants in a multiple quantum well optical waveguide

An analytical method for the solution of wave equation that describes the mode profile in a multiple quantum well optical waveguide is presented. The exact propagation constants for a complicated test structure are determined and compared with the finite element and finite differences methods. An increase in number of the quantum well, which is equivalent with an increase in refractive index, leads to a tighter confinement of the fundamental mode to the core region. The multiple quantum well optical waveguide structure can be replaced by an equivalent five-layer waveguide with a single quantum well and the same effective propagation constant.