Propagation of Hermite-Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian beams beyond the paraxial approximation

On the basis of the vectorial Rayleigh-Sommerfeld formulas and by means of the relation between Hermite and Laguerre polynomials, the analytical expressions for the propagation of the Hermite-Gaussian (HG) and Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams beyond the paraxial approximation are derived, with the corresponding far-field propagation expressions and that for the Gaussian beams being given as special cases of the results. Some detailed comparisons of our results with the expansion series and paraxial expressions are made, which show the advantages of our results over the expansion series. With the results obtained, some typical intensity patterns of nonparaxial HG and LG beams are shown.     

Orbital angular momentum of Laguerre-Gaussian beams beyond the paraxial approximation

We derive a full field solution for Laguerre-Gaussian beams consistent with the Helmholtz equation using the angular spectrum method. Field components are presented as an order expansion in the ratio of the wavelength to the beam waist, f=λ/(2πw?), which is typically small. The result is then generalized to a beam of arbitrary polarization. This result is then used to reproduce the signature angular momentum properties of Laguerre-Gaussian beams in the paraxial limit. The subsequent higher-order term is similarly obtained, which does not display a clear separation of orbital and spin angular momentum components.     

Fundamental electromagnetic Gaussian beam beyond the paraxial approximation

The fundamental electromagnetic Gaussian beam is constructed from a single component of the electric vector potential oriented normal to the propagation direction. The potential is cylindrically symmetrical about the propagation direction. The paraxial beam and the first-order nonparaxial beam are obtained. In solving the inhomogeneous paraxial wave equation governing the evolution of the nonparaxial beam, both the particular integral and the complementary function are included. A procedure for deducing the proper asymptotic state of the nonparaxial beam is summarized. The amplitude coefficients of the cylindrically symmetric complex-argument Laguerre-Gauss beams, which constitute the complementary function are determined by requiring the potential to have the proper behavior asymptotically at infinity and near the input plane. From the potential function, the electromagnetic fields are developed and the electrodynamics of the fundamental electromagnetic Gaussian beam beyond the paraxial approximation is investigated. The role of the first-order nonparaxial beam in determining the average beam characteristics is examined.     

Propagation of vectorial Lorentz beam beyond the paraxial approximation

Based on the vectorial Rayleigh–Sommerfeld integrals, the analytical propagation expression of vectorial Lorentz beam beyond paraxial approximation is presented. The far field expression and the scalar paraxial result are obtained as special cases of the general formulae. According to the analytical representation, the light intensity distribution of vectorial Lorentz beam is depicted at the different reference planes. This research provides an approach to further investigate the propagation of Lorentz beam beyond the paraxial approximation.     

Partially coherent flattened Gaussian beam and its paraxial propagation properties

A simple model called partially coherent flattened Gaussian beam (FGB) is proposed to describe a partially coherent beam with a flat-topped spatial profile. An explicit and analytical formula is derived for the cross-spectral density of a partially coherent FGB propagating through a paraxial ABCD optical system. The propagation factor and propagation properties of a partially coherent FGB in free space are studied in detail and found to be closely related to its coherence and beam order.     

Recurring beams in hollow metal waveguides: paraxial approximation

For optical and near-optical applications in electromagnetics, the directed propagation of waves in free space and in lenslike media is often in the Cartesian form of Gaussian or more general Hermite-sinusoidal-Gaussian beams. It has been shown that recurring (rather than continuing) forms of such beams are possible in the paraxial approximation for certain hollow metal waveguides, in which multiple reflections from the waveguide walls may occur. Limitations on this recurrence behavior implicit in use of the paraxial approximation are considered here, and estimates are obtained for the maximum propagation distance before the onset of significant distortion of the recurring beams.     

Propagation of partially coherent twisted anisotropic Gaussian Schell-model beams in dispersive and absorbing media

By adopting a new tensor method, we derived an analytical propagation formula for the cross-spectral density of partially coherent twisted anisotropic Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) beams through dispersive and absorbing media. Using the derived formula, we studied the evolution properties and spectrum properties of twisted anisotropic GSM beams in dispersive and absorbing media. The results show that the dispersive and absorbing media have strong influences on the propagation properties of twisted anisotropic GSM beams and their spectrum evolution. Our method provides a simple and convenient way to study the propagation of twisted anisotropic GSM beams in media with complex refractive index.     

Partially coherent dark hollow beams propagating through real ABCD optical systems in a turbulent atmosphere

A closed-form analytical expression is derived for a partially coherent dark hollow beam (DHB) propagating through an arbitrary real ABCD optical system in a turbulent atmosphere. The average intensity of the beam in the output plane is investigated in the presence of, respectively, a thin lens image system and a two-lens system along the optical path. For a special thin lens image system, the partially coherent DHB and the fully coherent DHB have the same evolution properties, and the comparative analysis is made between the propagation of the focused DHB and the collimated DHB for direct propagation in turbulence to show the effect of the thin lens on the average intensity. As for the two-lens system, the effects of the lens systems, the structure constant in the turbulent medium and the parameters of the incident beam on the average intensity are evaluated and illustrated. The result shows that different lens systems and propagation parameters can evidently affect the evolution properties of the beam.     

Waveletlike basis function approach to the propagation of paraxial beams

A semianalytical method is described for calculating the diffraction integral for paraxial propagation through an optical system. The field at the input plane is represented by a linear superposition of nearly Gaussian basis functions that keep a simple analytical form under ABCD propagation. The coefficients of the superposition are obtained by a numerical fit. The flexibility of the basis functions makes the method well suited to dealing with sharp local variations of the input field.     

Propagation of broadband gaussian Schell-model beams in the apertured fractional Fourier transformation systems

On the basis of the fact that a hard-edged aperture function can be expressed as finite matrices with different weighting coefficients, we obtain the analytical formula for the propagation of the broadband gaussian Schell-model (BGSM) beam through the apertured fractional Fourier transformation (AFrFT) system. It is shown by numerical examples that the intensity distribution in the plane of a small fractional order is obviously influenced by the bandwidth when the BGSM beams propagate through the AFrFT system. Further extensions are also pointed out.     

Diffraction effects in the radiometry of coherent beams

High-accuracy radiometry requires an optical beam in which all the light is contained within the radius of the smallest detector to be calibrated. We analyze a common configuration of the optical components used to prepare such a beam and show that diffraction rings are formed in the far field although the irradiance is zero along the limiting aperture's edge. The beam profile is calculated and used to find the radius of the smallest detector that can be calibrated with this beam.     

Modal decomposition of partially coherent beams using the ambiguity function

Phase-space representations of optical beams such as the ambiguity function or the Wigner distribution function have recently gained considerable importance for the characterization of coherent and partially coherent beams. There is growing interest in beam properties such as the beam propagation factor and the coherence and phase information that can be extracted from these phase-space representations. A method is proposed to decompose a partially coherent beam into Hermite-Gaussian modes by using the ambiguity function. The modal weights and the possible phase relations of the Hermite-Gaussian modes are retrieved. The method can also be applied for the decomposition of the Wigner distribution function. Some examples are discussed in the scope of beam characterization.     

Effect of dispersion on the spectrum of partially coherent beams

Taking the Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) beam as a typical example of partially coherent beams, the analytical expressions of the spectrum of GSM beams propagating in dispersive media are derived, and the spectral properties are studied in detail. It is shown that, in comparison with propagation in free space and in turbulence, whether or not GSM beams satisfy the scaling law, the normalized spectrum of GSM beams in dispersive media changes on propagation in general, because the dispersive medium affects different spectral components differently. As compared with the free-space propagation, for the scaling-law GSM beams the dispersion results in spectrum change, and for the nonscaling-law GSM beams the dispersion gives rise to a further increase in spectral changes. The structure constant of the dispersive property of the media, the transverse coordinate of the observation point, the spatial correlation length of the source, and the propagation distance affect the spectral behavior of GSM beams; this effect is illustrated numerically.     

Optical propagation in uniaxial crystals orthogonal to the optical axis: paraxial theory and beyond

We describe monochromatic light propagation in uniaxial crystals by means of an exact solution of Maxwell's equations. We subsequently develop a paraxial scheme for describing a beam traveling orthogonal to the optical axis. We show that the Cartesian field components parallel and orthogonal to the optical axis are extraordinary and ordinary, respectively, and hence uncoupled. The ordinary component exhibits a standard Fresnel behavior, whereas the extraordinary one exhibits interesting anisotropic diffraction dynamics. We interpret the anisotropic diffraction as a composition of two spatial geometrical affinities and a single Fresnel propagation step. As an application, we obtain the analytical expression of the extraordinary Gaussian beam. We then derive the first nonparaxial correction to the paraxial beam, thus giving a scheme for describing slightly nonparaxial fields. We find that nonparaxiality couples the Cartesian components of the field and that the resultant longitudinal component is greater than the correction to the transverse component orthogonal to the optical axis. Finally, we derive the analytical expression for the nonparaxial correction to the paraxial Gaussian beam.     

Spin fluctuations beyond the Gutzwiller approximation: A renormalised paramagnon theory

We analyze the spin fluctuations in the single-band lattice Hubbard model by using the slave-boson technique. It is shown that, at the Gaussian level beyond the saddle-point approximation, spin fluctuations obey a simple RPA-like form at all frequencies and wavevectors. Spin fluctuations, then, appear to give rise to an effective renormalized paramagnon theory opening new perspectives for the discussion of the effect of a magnetic field on Mott-Hubbard systems.     

Effect of turbulence on the beam quality of apertured partially coherent beams

The effects of turbulence on the beam quality of apertured partially coherent beams have been studied both analytically and numerically. Taking the Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) beam as a typical example of partially coherent beams, closed-form expressions for the average intensity, mean-squared beam width, power in the bucket, beta parameter, and Strehl ratio of apertured partially coherent beams propagating through atmospheric turbulence are derived. It is shown that the smaller the beam truncation parameter is, the less affected by turbulence the apertured partially coherent beams are. Furthermore, the apertured partially coherent beams are less sensitive to the effects of turbulence than unapertured ones. The main results are interpreted physically.     

Effective Fresnel number and the focal shifts of focused partially coherent beams

We define the effective Fresnel number of the cylindrical lens illuminated by a plane wave or Schell-model beams. On the basis of the concept of the effective Fresnel number, the focusing properties of the cylindrical lens illuminated by the Schell-model beam are investigated in a simple way. It is shown that the relative focal shift can be evaluated by an analytical formulation, which is expressed as a function of the effective Fresnel number. To evaluate our approach, we make the comparison between the results obtained by our method and the numerical calculation based on the diffraction integral. The results indicate that we can simply and exactly evaluate the focal shifts with our method.     

Analysing the behaviour of partially coherent divergent Gaussian beams propagating through oceanic turbulence

Theoretical study of propagation behaviour of partially coherent divergent Gaussian beams through oceanic turbulence has been performed. Based on the previously developed knowledge of propagation of a partially coherent beam in atmosphere, the spatial power spectrum of the refractive index of ocean water, extended Huygens–Fresnel principle and the unified theory of coherence and polarization, analytical formulas for cross-spectral density matrix elements are derived. The analytical formulas for intensity distribution, beam width and spectral degree of coherence are determined by using cross-spectral density matrix elements. Then, the effects of some source factors and turbulent ocean parameters on statistical properties of divergent Gaussian beam propagating through turbulent water are analysed. It is found that beam’s statistical propagation behaviour is affected by both environmental and source parameters variations.