Quantum-mechanical analogy of beam propagation in waveguides with a bent axis: Dynamic-mode stabilization and radiation-loss suppression

Wave propagation in an optical waveguide with a bent axis is studied under the scalar and paraxial wave approximations, and the quantum mechanical analogy with the electron dynamics in an atomic potential interacting with an intense electromagnetic field is highlighted. In particular we show that for a truncated parabolic waveguide with a periodically curved axis, a dynamic mode splitting with reduced radiation losses can be observed, which is fully analogous to the phenomenon of wave packet dichotomy and ionization quenching found in strong-field atomic physics.