Semianalytical approach to short-wavelength dispersion and modal properties of photonic crystal fibers

Photonic crystal fibers made from arbitrary base materials are considered, and a unified semianalytical approach for the dispersion and modal properties is derived that applies to the short-wavelength regime. In particular, the dispersion and the effective index are calculated and compared with fully vectorial planewave simulations, and excellent agreement is found. Asymptotic results for the mode-field diameter and the V parameter are also calculated, and from the latter it is predicted that the fibers are endlessly single mode for a normalized airhole diameter smaller than 0.42, independently of the base material. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America