Free-space propagation of ultrashort pulses: Space-time couplings in Gaussian pulse beams |
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| Authors: | C. F. R. Caron R. M. Potvliege |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Physics Department , University of Durham , Durham, DH1 3LE, UK;2. Springer-Verlag , Tiergartenstrasse 17, D-69121, Heidelberg, Germany;3. Physics Department , University of Durham , Durham, DH1 3LE, UK |
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| Abstract: | Abstract The importance of space-time couplings and the validity of the paraxial approximation are discussed for the case of ultrashort freely-propagating Gaussian pulses whose spectral components all have the same frequency-independent Rayleigh length. Simple closed-form expressions describing the electric field of such pulses are derived for model spectral distributions. Space-time couplings are found to be significant only for subcycle pulses or far from the focus. |
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