Matrix operators for complex interferometer analysis

Abstract: A modeling methodology and matrix formalism is presented that permits analysis of arbitrarily complex interferometric waveguide systems, including polarization and backreflection effects. Considerable improvement results from separation of the dependencies on connection topology from the dependencies on the devices and their specifications. A non-commutative operator and embedding matrices are introduced allowing a compact depiction of the salient optical equations, and straightforward calculation of the amplitude and intensity transfer functions.