A ray analysis of periodically segmented waveguides with parabolic-index variation in the high-index region is presented. We carried out the analysis using ray transfer matrices, which is convenient to implement and which can be extended to study different types of graded-index segmented waveguide. Results of this ray tracing approach clearly illustrate the waveguiding properties and the existence of stable and unstable regions of operation in segmented waveguides. We also illustrate the tapering action exhibited by segmented waveguides in which the duty cycle varies along the length of the waveguide. This analysis, although restricted to multimode structures, provides a clear visualization of the waveguiding properties in terms of ray propagation in segmented waveguides. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America. [References: 19]
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