AbstractA dielectric step-index optical fiber with tube-like profile is considered, being positioned with a small gap on top of a dielectric slab waveguide. We propose a 2.5-D hybrid analytical/numerical coupled mode model for the evanescent excitation of the tube through semi-guided waves propagating in the slab at oblique angles. The model combines the directional polarized modes supported by the slab with analytic solutions for the TE-, TM-, and orbital-angular-momentum (OAM) modes of the tube-shaped fiber. Implementational details of the scheme are discussed, complemented by finite-element simulations for verification purposes. Our results include configurations with resonant in-fiber excitation of OAM modes with large orbital angular momentum and strong field enhancement.
Resilience of hybrid optical angular momentum qubits to turbulence