Guided modes of thin-film lithium niobate slabs

Dielectric slab waveguides made of thin-film-lithium-niobate (TFLN) media are consid-ered, for operation in the linear regime. We outline and implement a largely analytic procedure forrigorous modal analysis of three-layer slabs with birefringent, anisotropic core. For Z-cut wave-guides, the slab eigenmode problem separates into uncoupled sets of scalar equations for TE andTM modes. Slabs in X-cut configuration support mostly mildly hybrid eigenmodes, with clear pre-dominant TE or TM polarization, and with effective indices that depend on the propagation directionof the modes, relative to the crystal axes. Strong hybridization can be observed for near degeneratemodes in singular configurations without vertical symmetry, or in symmetric slabs where two nearlydegenerate modes are of the same symmetry class. Dispersion curves for slab thickness and propa-gation angle are discussed, for slabs with oxide and air cover.