Effective refractive index when two transparent medium are joined in s

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The effective refractive index of two stacked transparent layers can be determined using their individual refractive indices and thicknesses. The calculation involves defining the effective refractive index and applying this definition, which requires knowledge of the mode profile derived from wave equations. Once the mode profile is known, the effective refractive index can be calculated as a weighted average of the two indices based on the mode fraction in each layer. Programming solutions for multiple layers can be achieved using transfer matrices. Understanding these concepts is essential for accurate calculations in optical applications.
jayeshtrivedi
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Dear All,

If two layers of thickness d1 and d2 stacked on each other and having their absolute refractive index n1 and n2 .

Can we find effective refractive index of the combination with this data?

Thanks in advance.

Jayesh.
 
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Yes, but the calculation is not straightforward, because it depends on the mode profile - which is generally found by solving wave-equations.

Once you know the mode profile, the calculation becomes relatively straightforward, essentially it is just an average of the two indices, weighted by the mode fraction in each layer.

Claude.
 
It is quite easy to program the solution for any number of layers using transfer matrices.
See wikipedia or any promising search result:
http://sjbyrnes.com/fresnel-solver-sourcecode.pdf
 
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