Modified Airy Function and WKB Solutions to the Wave Equation

摘要

The WKB method has served in problems of quantum mechanics and nonuniform opticalwaveguides, the discipline treated in the monograph. The monograph discusses the WKB and the Modified Airy Function (MAF) methods in considerable detail, to the end that the reader gains an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of each. The authors treat eigenvalue problems as well as initial value problems. The two methods could be illustrated via any of several disciplines, but they chose to use problems that are of current interest to the optical waveguide community. They have also used Schrodinger's equation for typical potential well problems to further illustrate the method. Both the wave functions and the eigenvalues are found. They have also included several exercises, to be solved by the reader. They give several examples to illustrate the method for problems of interest in optical telecommunications devices.