Vector finite difference modesolver for anisotropic dielectric waveguides

We describe a new full-vector finite difference discretization, based upon the transverse magnetic field components, for calculating the electromagnetic modes of optical waveguides with transverse, nondiagonal anisotropy. Unlike earlier finite difference approaches, our method allows for the material axes to be arbitrarily oriented, as long as one of the principal axes coincides with the direction of propagation. We demonstrate the capabilities of the method by computing the circularly-polarized modes of a magnetooptical waveguide and the modes of an off-axis poled anisotropic polymer waveguide.