Layered structures:

transfer matrix formalism

Petr Kuel
Interfaces between LHI media
Transfer matrix formalism

Practically only one formula is to be known in order to calculate any

structure

Applications:

Antireflective coatings
Dielectric mirrors, Chirped mirrors
Laser output couplers
Beam-splitters
Beam-splitting mirrors
Interference filters

Transfer matrix formalism

E
H

k0
n0

TE polarization

+
k0

E
0

Ei0

Er0

Et1

Es1

E01

(tangential) n
1

1
H

(tangential)

Ei1

k1

0 H 01 = (Et1 Es1 )

x
z

E12 = Ei1 + Er1

k1

Er1

E12
n2

E01 = Et1 + Es1

0 H12 = (Ei1 Er1 )

= n1 cos 1

2
= d1k z1 =
n1d1 cos 1

Ei1 = Et1e i
Es1 = Er1e i

Introduction of transfer matrix

i sin
E01 cos
E12

0 01 i sin cos 0 H12

Transfer matrix connects tangential fields on both ends of a layer

For j-th layer:
m11
M =
m21

m12 cos j
=
m22
i j sin j

i sin j

j
cos j

For the whole structure:

E01

= M 1M 2 ! M N

H
0 01

E N , N +1

= M tot
H

0 N , N +1

E N , N +1

0 N , N +1

Reflection and transmission

coefficients
E01 Ei 0 + Er 0

=
= M tot
(
)

H
E
E
0
r0
0 01 i 0

Et

= M tot

E
t t

E N , N +1

0 N , N +1

r=

0 m11 + 0 t m12 m21 t m22

0 m11 + 0 t m12 + m21 + t m22

t=

2 0
0 m11 + 0 t m12 + m21 + t m22

polarisation TE:

= n j cos

j = n j d j cos j / c

polarisation TM :

= n j cos

j = n j d j cos j / c

norm al incidence:

= nj

j = n j d j / c

Generalization
The formalism is also valid for
absorbing layers; j-th layer absorbs: Nj = nj ij
cos j =

N 2j n02 sin 2 0
Nj

layers where total reflection occurs; total reflection on j-th layer:

cos j = i

n0 sin 2 0 n 2j
nj

j and j become imaginary; one introduces: j = ij and j = ij,

where j and j are real. The transfer matrix becomes:

ch j
Mj =
i j sh j

sh j

j
ch j

Applications
Optical elements and coatings are designed for given incidence angle
Specific layer thicknesses are frequently used in stacks:
quarter-wave (/4) layer
=

n1d1 cos 1 =
%"$"# 2
4

0 i

M =
i 0

half-wave (/2) layer

2
=
n1d1 cos 1 =
%"$"#
2

1 0

M =
0 1

quarter-wave (/4-/4) bilayer

0 i 1 0

M =
0

i
1
i 2

0
i 2 2 1
=

0 0
1 2

Antireflective single layer

Lets try /4-layer (then waves with /2 phase delay will interfere)
0 i 1

M =
0

i
1

n0 = 1
/4

MgF2
BK7 glass

n1 = 1.38
ns = 1.51

0 s 12 ns n12
=
r=
2
0 s + 1 ns + n12
6
ns = 1.51

Broadband
Less efficient (no degree
of freedom for n1)

4
Antireflective coating
(for 550 nm)
/4

R (%)

n1 = ns

glass (not treated)

0
400

500

600
700
Wavelength (nm)

800

Antireflective bilayer
quarter-wave (/4-/4) bilayer
0
2 1

M =
0

1 2

/4

CeF3

/4

ZrO2

BK7 glass

22 0 s 12 n22 ns n12
= 2
r= 2
2
2 0 + s 1 n2 + ns n12

ns = 1.51
glass (not treated)
R (%)

More efficient (one degree

of freedom for n1, n2)

ns = 1.51

n2
= ns
n1

V-like shape (narrow

frequency range)

n1 = 1.65
n2 = 2.1

Antireflective coating
(for 550 nm)
/4
/4-/4

0
400

500

600
700
Wavelength (nm)

800

Broadband AR coating
trilayer structure (/4-/4-/4)

0
M =
1 3
i
2

r=

22 0 s
22 0 s

12 32
+ 12 32

1 3

n22 ns
n22 ns

n1n3
= ns
n2

n12 n32
+ n12 n32

/4

n1 = 1.38

/4

n2 = 2.0

/4

n3 = 1.8

BK7 glass

ns = 1.51

Broadband AR coating
trilayer structure (/4-/2-/4): similar to a quarter-wave bilayer at
the resonant wavelength
half-wave layer helps to extend the antireflective range
3 1
=
M
0

1 3

32 0 + s 12 ns n12 n32
= 2
r= 2
2
3 0 + s 1
n3 + ns n12
n3
= ns
n1

/4

n1 = 1.38

/2

n2 = 2.2

/4

n3 = 1.7

BK7 glass

ns = 1.51

Antireflective coating: summary

10
Antireflective coating
for 550 nm
/4
/4-/4
/4-/2
/4-/4-/4
/4-/2-/4

R (%)

ns = 1.51

glass (not treated)

4

0
400

500

600
Wavelength (nm)

700

800

Dielectric mirrors
1 bilayer (nL << nH):
nL n H
M =
0

0
nH

nL

nH

/4

nL
nH

N bilayers:
( nL nH )N
M =
0

/4

nL

( nH

N
nL )
nH

Reflectivity:
(1 ns )(nL nH )2 N 1

R =
2N

(1 ns )(nL nH ) + 1

nL
2

ns

Dielectric mirrors: example

1
Phase change

0.8

0.6

0.6
0.2
-0.2
-0.6
-1
0.9104

1.1104
1.3104
1.5104
Wavenumber (cm-1)

0.4

Dielectric mirrors for 800 nm

Number of bilayers (ZnS/MgF2 ):
20
8
3

0.2

0
400

600

800

1000
1200
Wavelength (nm)

1400

1600

Chirped dielectric mirrors

The resonant wavelength is linearly tuned along the stack of bilayers
Different wavelengths are reflected at different depths different
optical paths
Adding or compensating of a chirp of the pulses
Departure from the linear phase shift

0.3
Mirrors for 800 nm (12500 cm-1 )
(20 bilayers)
Standard dielectric mirror
Chirped mirror (10 nm step)

0.2

0.1

-0.1

-0.2
1.1104

1.2104

1.3104
Wavenumber (cm-1)

1.4104

Laser output coupler

= 514.5 nm
R0 1

Rx < 1

Rx
Reflective (~ 90%) coating
AR coating

Beamsplitter
n R, d R
20%

45

n 1, d 1
ns

n2, d2

80%

Beamsplitting mirror
Separation of harmonic frequencies (e.g. Nd:YAG fundamental beam at 1064 nm
and its second harmonic at 532 nm)
Long-pass or cut-off filters
Example of solution:
1) Stack of /4 bilayers forming a dielectric mirror for 1064 nm
These layers are /2 for the second harmonics so it passes through unchanged
2) We add below an AR coating for 532 nm
1064 nm component does not penetrate down to these layers
Result: 1064 nm is reflected, 532 nm is transmitted
Sometimes a detuning of a resonant wavelength is used in several layers of the
HR coating: it can smooth the unwanted interference maxima and minima.

Interference band-pass filters

Contain:

Stacks of high-reflecting bilayers

Antireflective coatings
Fabry-Prot cavities
Detuning of the resonant wavelength is also often used for
smoothing of the interferences