Generalized M2 factor of a partially coherent beam propagating through a circular hard-edged aperture

The second-order intensity moments and the beam-propagation M2 factor of partially coherent beams that propagate through a circular-symmetry hard-edged aperture are in the cylindrical coordinate system. AJo-correlated Schell-model beam with a Gaussian intensity distribution is an example. The analytical expression for the generalized M2 factor is derived. The numerical calculation results are analyzed.     

Generalized M* factor of truncated partially coherent controllable dark-hollow beams

On the basis of the fact that a hard-edged aperture function can be expanded into an approximate sum of complex Gaussian functions with finite numbers and the method of truncated second-order moments, the generalized beam propagation factor of truncated partially coherent controllable dark-hollow beams is derived. Some typical numerical simulations are given to illustrate the relations of the generalized beam propagation factor to four parameters: beam parameter ε, beam order N, truncation parameter F and coherence parameter T.     

Generalized beam-propagation factor of partially coherent beams propagating through hard-edged apertures

The second-order intensity moments and beam-propagation factor (M2 factor) of partially coherent beams have been generalized to include the case of hard-edged diffraction. A laser beam with amplitude modulation and phase fluctuation and a Gaussian Schell-model beam are taken as two typical examples of partially coherent beams. Analytical expressions for the generalized M2 factor are derived.     

Propagation of decentered elliptical Gaussian beams in apertured and nonsymmetrical optical systems

A hard-edged elliptical aperture is described approximately by a tensor form, which can be expanded as a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions. An analytical propagation expression for a decentered elliptical Gaussian beam (DEGB) through an axially nonsymmetrical optical system with an elliptical aperture is derived by using vector integration. The approximate analytical results are compared with numerically integral ones, and it is shown that this method can significantly improve the efficiency of numerical calculation. Some numerical simulations are illustrated for the propagation properties of DEGBs through apertured and nonsymmetrical optical transforming systems.     

Parametric characterization of rotationally symmetric hard-edged diffracted beams

The truncated second-order moments and generalized M2 factor (M(G)2 factor) of two-dimensional beams in the Cartesian coordinate system are extended to the case of three-dimensional rotationally symmetric hard-edged diffracted beams in the cylindrical coordinate system. It is shown that the propagation equations of truncated second-order moments and the M(G)2 factor take forms similar to those for the nontruncated case. The closed-form expression for the M(G)2 factor of rotationally symmetric hard-edged diffracted flattened Gaussian beams is derived that depends on the truncation parameter beta and beam order N. For N --> infinity, the M(G)2 factor equals 4/square root of 3 corresponding to the value of truncated plane waves, which guarantees consistency of the formalism.     

Fractional Fourier transform of truncated elliptical Gaussian beams

Based on the fact that a hard-edged elliptical aperture can be expanded approximately as a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions in tensor form, an analytical expression for an elliptical Gaussian beam (EGB) truncated by an elliptical aperture and passing through a fractional Fourier transform system is derived by use of vector integration. The approximate analytical results provide more convenience for studying the propagation and transformation of truncated EGBs than the usual way by using the integral formula directly, and the efficiency of numerical calculation is significantly improved.     

Propagation of elliptical Gaussian beams in apertured and misaligned optical systems

On the basis of the fact that a hard-edged elliptical aperture can be expanded approximately as a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions in tensor form, an analytical propagation expression for an elliptical Gaussian beam (EGB) through a misaligned optical system with an elliptical aperture is derived by use of vector integration. The approximate analytical results provide more convenience for studying the propagation and transformation of EGBs than the usual way by using a diffraction integral directly, and the efficiency of numerical calculation is improved. Some numerical simulations are illustrated for the propagation properties of EGBs through apertured optical transforming systems with misaligned thin lenses.     

Propagation of hollow Gaussian beams through apertured paraxial optical systems

On the basis of the generalized Collins formula and the expansion of the hard-aperture function into a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, an approximate analytical formula for a hollow Gaussian beam propagating through an apertured paraxial stigmatic (ST) ABCD optical system is derived. Some numerical examples are given. Furthermore, by using a tensor method, we derive approximate analytical formulas for a hollow elliptical Gaussian beam propagating through an apertured paraxial general astigmatic ABCD optical system and an apertured paraxial misaligned ST ABCD optical system. Our results provide a convenient way for studying the propagation and transformation of a hollow Gaussian beam and a hollow elliptical Gaussian beam through an apertured general optical system.     

Probe-beam diffraction in a pulsed top-hat beam thermal lens with a mode-mismatched configuration

The Fresnel diffraction integral is used directly to describe the thermal lens (TL) effect with a mode-mismatched collinear configuration. The TL amplitudes obtained with Gaussian, Airy, and top-hat beam excitations are computed and compared. Numerical results for beam geometries optimized for both near- and far-field detection schemes are presented, and the analytical results developed by Bialkowski and Chartier [Appl. Opt. 36, 6711 (1997)] for a Gaussian beam TL effect are summarized in simplified form. Both the numerical and the analytical results demonstrate that, under a beam geometry optimized for either near- or far-field detection, the Gaussian beam TL experiment has approximately the same maximum signal amplitude as does the photothermal-interference scheme. A comparison between the optimum near- and far-field detection beam geometries indicates that a practical mode-mismatched TL instrument should be based on the far-field detection geometry. The computation results further demonstrate that the optimum beam geometry and the TL amplitude depend largely on the excitation-beam profile. The top-hat beam TL experiment is approximately twice as sensitive as the Gaussian beam TL scheme.     

Encircled energy for systems with truncated-Gaussian apertures of different Fresnel numbers. II. Maximizing beam energy concentration on a target

In Part I of this study [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A24, 2023 (2007)] the Q(2n) functions of E. Wolf and the Y(n) functions of H. H. Hopkins have been generalized for evaluating the fraction of the total energy in systems with focused truncated Gaussian beams by apertures of different Fresnel numbers and different ratios of aperture radius to beam radius. The generalized special functions provide a mathematical basis for a rigorous study of maximizing beam energy concentration on a target. This subject is addressed under two subtitles: (1) active focusing of a Gaussian beam onto a distant target and (2) optimizing photodetection in a focused field.     

Propagation and transformation of flat-topped multi-Gaussian beams in a general nonsymmetrical apertured double-lens system

On the basis of expanding a hard-edged aperture function as a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, an approximate analytical expression for the propagation of an input complex amplitude distribution passing through a general nonsymmetrical apertured double-lens system is derived. Then, the propagation result for two-dimensional flat-topped multi-Gaussian beams is given. It is shown that the apertured Lohmann's symmetrical double-lens system for fractional Fourier transform is a special case of the general apertured double-lens system. The numerical calculation, graphical illustration, and some discussions for the transformation of the two-dimensional flat-topped multi-Gaussian beam in apertured Lohmann's symmetrical double-lens systems are also presented.     

Propagation of a decentered elliptical Gaussian beam through apertured aligned and misaligned paraxial optical systems

By expanding the hard aperture function into a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, approximate analytical formulas for a decentered Gaussian beam (DEGB) passing through apertured aligned and misaligned paraxial apertured paraxial optical systems are derived in terms of a tensor method. The results obtained by using the approximate analytical expression are in good agreement with those obtained by using the numerical integral calculation. Furthermore, approximate analytical formulas for a decentered elliptical Hermite-Gaussian beam (DEHGB) through apertured paraxial optical systems are derived. As an application example, approximate analytical formulas for a decentered elliptical flattened Gaussian beam through apertured paraxial optical systems are derived. Our results provide a convenient way for studying the propagation and transformation of a DEGB and a DEHGB through apertured paraxial optical systems.     

Transverse superresolution technique involving rectified Laguerre-Gaussian LG(p)⁰ beams

A promising technique has been proposed recently [Opt. Commun. 284, 1331 (2011), Opt. Commun. 284, 4107 (2011)] for breaking the diffraction limit of light. This technique consists of transforming a symmetrical Laguerre-Gaussian LG(p)? beam into a near-Gaussian beam at the focal plane of a thin converging lens thanks to a binary diffractive optical element (DOE) having a transmittance alternatively equal to -1 or +1, transversely. The effect of the DOE is to convert the alternately out-of-phase rings of the LG(p)? beam into a unified phase front. The benefits of the rectified beam at the lens focal plane are a short Rayleigh range, which is very useful for many laser applications, and a focal volume much smaller than that obtained with a Gaussian beam. In this paper, we demonstrate numerically that the central lobe's radius of the rectified beam at the lens focal plane depends exclusively on the dimensionless radial intensity vanishing factor of the incident beam. Consequently, this value can be easily predicted.     

Comment on "partially coherent flat-topped beam and its propagation"

We point out that the expression of the cross-spectral density (CSD) of a partially coherent flat-topped beam (PCFB) given by Ge et al. [Appl. Opt. 43, 4732 (2004)] is incorrect. The results show that the M2 factor derived based on Ge's expression leads to M2 < 1 in some cases, which is physically unacceptable. A new expression of the CSD for a PCFB is given.     

Diffractive phase elements for beam shaping: a new design method

A design method based on the Yang-Gu algorithm [Appl. Opt. 33, 209 (1994)] is proposed for computing the phase distributions of an optical system composed of diffractive phase elements that achieve beam shaping with a high transfer efficiency in energy. Simulation computations are detailed for rotationally symmetric beam shaping in which a laser beam with a radially symmetric Gaussian intensity distribution is converted into a uniform beam with a circular region of support. To present a comparison of the efficiency and the performance of the designed diffractive phase elements by use of the geometrical transformation technique, the Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm and the Yang-Gu algorithm for beam shaping, we carry out in detail simulation calculations for a specific one-dimensional beam-shaping example.     

Propagation of Laguerre-Gaussian and elegant Laguerre-Gaussian beams in apertured fractional Hankel transform systems

On the basis of the fact that a hard-edged-aperture function can be expanded into a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, approximate analytical expressions for the output field distribution of a Laguerre-Gaussian beam and an elegant Laguerre-Gaussian beam passing through apertured fractional Hankel transform systems are derived. Some numerical simulation comparisons are done, by using the approximate analytical formulas and diffraction integral formulas, and it is shown that our method can significantly improve the numerical calculation efficiency.     

Rayleigh range and the m(2) factor for bessel-gauss beams

The M(2) factor of Bessel-Gauss beams derived by Borghi and Santarsiero [Opt. Lett. 22, 262-264 (1997)] is shown to predict the e(-2) axial position rather than the half-intensity position of the on-axis intensity as the Rayleigh range divided byM(2) for large values of k(t)w(0). For small values of k(t)w(0), the half-intensity axial position of the J(0) Bessel-Gauss beam is the Rayleigh range divided by M(2). Also, the ratio of the half-intensity lengths of J(0) Bessel-Gauss and comparable Gaussian beams having the same radial size of their central regions is shown to be M(2)/1.3. For equal input powers and largek(t)w(0), the values of peak intensity times effective range for J(0)Bessel-Gauss beams is a constant and is a factor of 1.3 larger than the corresponding product for the comparable simple Gaussianbeam.     

Improved T-matrix computations for large, nonabsorbing and weakly absorbing nonspherical particles and comparison with geometrical-optics approximation

We show that the use of a matrix inversion scheme based on a special lower triangular-upper triangular factorization rather than on the standard Gaussian elimination significantly improves the numerical stability of T-matrix computations for nonabsorbing and weakly absorbing nonspherical particles. As a result, the maximum convergent size parameter for particles with small or zero absorption can increase by a factor of several and can exceed 100. We describe an improved scheme for evaluating Clebsch-Gordon coefficients with large quantum numbers, which allowed us to extend the analytical orientational averaging method developed by Mishchenko [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 8, 871 (1991)] to larger size parameters. Comparisons of T-matrix and geometrical optics computations for large, randomly oriented spheroids and finite circular cylinders show that the applicability range of the ray-tracing approximation depends on the imaginary part of the refractive index and is different for different elements of the scattering matrix.     

Propagation properties of a hard-edged diffracted beam generated by a Gaussian mirror resonator

Based on the scalar diffraction theory, the propagation and focusing properties of a hard-edged diffracted beam generated by a Gaussian mirror resonator were investigated. Explicit expressions for the field distribution of the truncated beam that propagates through a paraxial optical ABCD system were derived in detail. Numerical examples are given to illustrate our analytical results.