Analysis of the dispersion relations of nonlinear slab-guided waves

The dispersion relations of TE-polarized nonlinear guided waves (NGW) were investigated in detail. These waves travel along a dielectric slab embedded between two different nonlinear media. A simple relation between the effective nonlinear dielectric constants was established. All dispersion curves exhibit a particular transition point, where one evanescent field maximum changes from a virtual into a real one, and vice versa. Depending on the type of the remaining invariant evanescent field maximum, all NGW's split into two families. The lowest-order membres of every family play a particular role. The power flux supported by a NGW is derived, too.Preliminary results were presented at the XVI^th European Congress of Molecular Spectroscopy, Sofia, Bulgaria (1983)