Dispersion characteristics of cylindrical metal-clad opticalwaveguides

A study of the dispersion characteristics of cylindrical metal-clad optical waveguides indicates that: (1) the propagation of electromagnetic energy in metal-clad optical waveguides differs in principal from that of dielectric step-index waveguides and ideal metallic waveguides; (2) hybrid modes exist in this structure, and the cutoff frequency of the HE₁₁ mode does not equal zero; (3) TM and HE(EH) modes have attenuation higher at least by an order of magnitude than that of TE modes; and (4) the surface plasma wave can propagate in this structure. Thus, the lowest order mode is TE₀₁