Two-dimensional Maxwell’s curl equation simulation of light propagation and reflection in heterostructure laser configurations

To investigate the propagation and reflection of laser light in slab heterostructure configurations, especially quantum wells, we are developing 2-D finite difference computer codes for self-consistent solution of Maxwell’s curl equations in complicated refractive media. The exact Maxwell’s equations are solved without the approximations inherent in the high-frequency envelope methods. Separate codes treat TE and TM modes. These codes will be used in semiconductor laser research and design. The field gradients in the charge free equations are conveniently approximated by central finite differences on a staggered mesh. The three modal components occupy a triangle of grid points within a four-point computational cell. Appropriate boundary conditions are imposed at the mesh extremities. The global set of ordinary differential equations from this discretization are solved with the well known implicit, variable step size solver LSODE. The propagation of low-order eigenmodes, perturbed eigenmodes, and noneigenmodes in step refractive, parabolic, and quantum well GaAs/AlGaAs structures is investigated.