A synergistic approach to optical modeling of PCSELs through rigorous methods and the coupled-wave theory

TL;DR

This paper introduces a comparative framework combining rigorous and semi-analytical methods within coupled-wave theory to improve optical modeling of PCSELs, revealing differences and capturing key laser phenomena.

Contribution

It systematically compares four modeling approaches, hybridizes them within coupled-wave theory, and demonstrates their effectiveness in analyzing PCSELs and BICs.

Findings

Reveals fundamental differences between rigorous and coupled-wave predictions.

Captures leaky and symmetry-broken phases of BICs.

Provides a systematic framework for modeling PCSELs.

Abstract

A wide range of numerical and semi-analytical approaches has been developed for optical modeling of photonic-crystal surface-emitting lasers (PCSELs). However, a systematic framework for comparing their predictive capabilities and identifying their respective validity limits remains largely unexplored. In this work, we introduce a comparative methodology in which four representative methods-including rigorous numerical and effective-index-based approaches-are analyzed and partially hybridized within a coupled-wave-theory framework. Using single- and double-lattice PCSELs as representative models, we demonstrate that this approach not only reveals fundamental differences between predictions of rigorous methods and the coupled-wave-theory framework, but also captures leaky and symmetry-broken phases of bound states in the continuum (BICs) relevant for laser operation.