Generalized switching properties of three-guide circular fiber arrays using coupled-mode analysis

A numerical method that utilizes coupled-mode theory to examine the switching properties of arrays formed by three fibers arranged in a circular configuration is developed. An error function that depends on the difference between the desired output conditions and those obtained for a given set of coupling and detuning coefficients is defined. To determine the values of these coefficients for a particular switching operation, the error function is minimized by varying the coupling and detuning coefficients. Results are presented for configurations that switch a signal from one fiber to another, equally split the power from a single input guide into two fibers at the output, and divide the power from a single input guide equally among all three output guides