Laser beam characteristic for laser resonators with diffraction optical elements

The matrix eigenvalue method is used to analyze a laser resonator composed of diffraction optical elements. The results show that this type of resonator can separate fundamental mode and high order modes effectively. The output beams can be designed for different requests.     

Propagation of elliptical Gaussian beam passing through apertured paraxial optical systems

The propagation of elliptical Gaussian beam passing through paraxial optical systems with aperture is investigated analytically by using tensor method. The approximate formula for propagation of elliptical Gaussian beam through hard apertured optical systems is derived based on the fact that the circ function can be expanded into a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions. The derived formula provides a convenient tool for treating the propagation and transformation of elliptical Gaussian beam through apertured optical systems. As an application example, the propagation properties of elliptical Gaussian beam through apertured fractional Fourier systems are discussed.     

洛伦兹光束经光阑失调傍轴光学系统的传输

基于广义衍射积分公式和光阑函数的复高斯展开,导出了一洛伦兹光束经一个带圆形光阑失调傍轴光学系统的近似解析传输公式.作为一般公式的特例,还给出了洛伦兹光束经一无光阑失调傍轴光学系统的解析传输式.作为数值计算的例子,运用所得到的公式分析了洛伦兹光束经带光阑失调薄透镜的传输特性.结果表明：不同强度的衍射即圆形光阑半径的大小明显影响衍射光束的归一化强度分布及其传输变化规律. 关键词： 洛伦兹光束 失调傍轴光学系统 光束传输     

Propagation of a general-type beam through apertured aligned and misaligned ABCD optical systems

By expanding the hard-aperture function into a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, analytical formulae for the electric field of a general-type beam propagating through apertured aligned and misaligned ABCD optical systems are derived using the generalized Collins formulae, which provide a convenient way of studying the propagation of a variety of laser beams, such as Gaussian, cos-Gaussian, cosh-Gaussian, sine-Gaussian, sinh-Gaussian, flat-topped, Hermite-cosh-Gaussian, Hermite-sine-Gaussian, higher-order annular Gaussian, Hermite-sinh-Gaussian and Hermite-cos-Gaussian beams, through such optical systems. As numerical examples, the propagation properties of a cos-Gaussian beam through an apertured aligned or misaligned thin lens are studied.     

Paraxial propagation of a partially coherent flattened Gaussian beam through apertured ABCD optical systems

By expanding the hard aperture function into a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, some approximate analytical formulae for the cross-spectral density of a partially coherent flattened Gaussian beam (FGB) propagating through apertured aligned and misaligned ABCD optical systems are derived based on the generalized Collins formula. The results obtained by using the approximate analytical formula are in good agreement with those obtained by using the numerical integral calculation. As a numerical example, the focusing properties (including average irradiance distribution and focal shift) of a partially coherent FGB focused by an apertured thin lens are studied, and it is found that the focusing properties of a partially coherent FGB are closely related to its initial coherence and the aperture width. Our results provide an effective and fast way for studying the paraxial propagation of a partially coherent FGB through apertured ABCD optical systems.     

Wigner distribution function of Gaussian beam through an apertured and misaligned ABCD optical system

By expanding the hard aperture function into a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, approximate analytical expressions of Wigner distribution function for fundamental mode Gaussian beam through an apertured and misaligned ABCD optical system are derived. Compared with the aligned case, results show that the misaligned optical system will introduce in the output Wigner distribution function a coordinate shift in space-frequency plane. To examine the analytical results, some numerical simulations are carried out and the absolute errors between analytical results and numerical integral ones are presented. It is shown that the approximate analytical results are proper and ascendant.     

Laser diode beam shaping by optical interference

We recently proposed a novel beam shaping technique that employs Lloyd’s mirror interference. In this study, we apply this technique to three commercial laser diodes: laser diodes used for optical pumping of solid-state lasers, for laser beam printers, and for laser displays. The elliptical output beams from these laser diodes could be transformed into nearly circular beams by inserting a mirror-polished GaAs substrate below the active layer of each laser diode and adjusting its height. The experimentally observed far-field patterns were predicted fairly well by numerical calculations based on Huygens’ integral. We confirmed that our beam shaping technique is applicable to laser diodes with various wavelengths and vertical beam divergence angles. We also describe the monolithic configuration of the beam shaping system, which can be fabricated by dry etching.     

Cross-spectral density matrix of a random electromagnetic beam propagating through an apertured axially nonsymmetrical optical system

Using the fact that a hard-edged rectangular aperture function can be approximated by a two-dimensional multi-Gaussian series, analytic formulas for the elements of the cross-spectral density matrix of a random electromagnetic beam truncated by a rectangular aperture and passing through an axially nonsymmetrical optical system is derived. The analysis is illustrated by numerical examples relating to changes in the spectral degree of polarization of electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beams propagating through free space, focal system and dual-focus system. In particular, the effect of the size of the hard aperture on the spectral degree of polarization of the beam along its optical axis is discussed.     

Analytical formulas for a circular or non-circular flat-topped beam propagating through an apertured paraxial optical system

Propagation of a flat-topped beam of circular or non-circular (rectangular or elliptical) symmetry through an apertured optical system is investigated. By expanding the hard aperture function as a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, some approximate analytical propagation formulas are derived for a flat-topped beam of circular or non-circular (rectangular or elliptical) symmetry propagating through an apertured paraxial general astigmatic (GA) optical system or an apertured paraxial misaligned stigmatic (ST) optical system. The derived formulas are very fast to compute. The results obtained by using the approximate analytical expressions are in a good agreement with those obtained by direct numerical integration. The present analytical formulas provide a convenient and effective way for studying the propagation and transformation of a circular or non-circular flat-topped beam through an apertured general optical system.     

Nonparaxial propagation of a vectorial apertured off-axis Lorentz beam

Based on the vectorial Rayleigh--Sommerfeld integral formula and the complex Gaussian expansion of the hard-edge aperture function, an analytical propagation expression for a nonparaxial vectorial off-axis Lorentz beam passing through a rectangular aperture is derived. The unapertured case, the far field expression and the scalar paraxial result are also presented as special cases of the general formulae, respectively. Some numerical examples are also given to show the propagation characteristics of a nonparaxial vectorial off-axis Lorentz beam through a rectangular aperture. It is indicated that the f parameter, the off-axis displacement and the truncation parameter all play an important role in determining nonparaxial propagation behaviour.     

Irradiance map of an apertured Gaussian beam affected by coma

The Gaussian amplitude of a laser beam incident on an optical system affected by coma is expanded until the fourth order. This expansion is included in the Huygens-Fresnel integral calculation to obtain the amplitude and irradiance distribution on the focal plane of an optical system affected by coma. The analytical results obtained here are compared with a previous model of a comatic Gaussian beam. Appropriateness of the analytical model is also validated by the fitting with experimental data.     

Numerical investigation of beam quality in unstable optical resonators and the effects of practical imperfections

Field characteristics and beam quality of confocal positive branch unstable resonator under some practical imperfections has been investigated. Based on Fresnel-Kirchhoff integral, the near and far field intensity of the resonator was calculated numerically. Using the second order moment method, the beam quality factor, M² of the resonator was also calculated. Variety of practical distorting affects, mainly misalignment, off-axis, and thermal deflection of the mirrors, as well as gain non-uniformity were considered in these calculations. The results show that the beam quality factor is more sensitive to the off-axis and misalignment distortions while the non-uniform gain has significant effect only for unusual conditions. The effects of geometrical parameters, i.e. Fresnel number as well as magnification factor on the beam quality were also investigated.     

Decay time of optical resonators

The decay time τ of an optical resonator depends on the special type of resonator (active, passive, homogeneous, inhomogeneous). Starting from a general expression for decay times, some special cases are derived and discussed in detail. It is shown, that the commonly used formulars give only lower or upper limits. These various relations are relevant for high gain laser with low reflectivities.     

Analytically vectorial structure of an apertured Laguerre-Gaussian beam in the far-field

Based on the angular spectrum representation of an arbitrary electromagnetic beam and the method of stationary phase, an analytically vectorial structure of an apertured Laguerre-Gaussian beam in the far-field has been derived without any approximation. The analytical expressions of the energy flux of the TE term, the TM term, and the apertured Laguerre-Gaussian beam are also presented in the far-field, respectively. The energy flux distributions of the TE term, the TM term, and the apertured Laguerre-Gaussian beam are numerically demonstrated in the far-field reference plane. The influences of the f-parameter, the truncation parameter, the radial and angular mode numbers, and the dependent relation of angle on the energy flux distributions in the far-field of the TE term, the TM term, and the apertured Laguerre-Gaussian beam are also discussed in detail.     

Effect of coma on the focusing of an apertured singular beam

Effect of coma on the intensity distribution and encircled energy of a singular beam, at the focal plane of a lens, is evaluated numerically by using Fresnel–Kirchhoff diffraction integral for two different values of topological charge. Results show lateral shift and flattening of the dark core. It is noticed that the singular beam with double topological charge is affected more by comatic aberration in comparison to the beam with single topological charge. We also verified our results by using optical transfer function approach.     

High order harmonic generation optimization with an apertured laser beam

We report a systematic study of high order harmonic generation with an infrared laser apertured by an iris, as a function of the aperture size. Measurements were made of harmonic generation efficiency for different gas species, laser energies and focal geometries. Harmonic efficiencies as a function of aperture show a characteristic peaked shape, which is independent of gas species and harmonic order. A one dimensional, time dependent simulation of harmonic generation in a gas cell, taking into account experimentally measured transverse coherence of the laser, closely reproduces the observed behaviours. We show that the aperture diameter which maximizes harmonic yield is the result of a compromise between considerations of focal geometry and ionization (which favour small apertures); and harmonic dipole amplitude and phase (which favour large apertures). Received 31 May 2002 Published online 24 September 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: kazamias@ensta.fr RID="b" ID="b"UMR 7639 du CNRS     

Vectorial structure of the far-field of an apertured four-petal Gaussian beam

Based on the theorem of vectorial structure and the method of stationary phase, an analytical vectorial structure of the far-field of an apertured four-petal Gaussian beam has been derived without any approximation. The analytical expressions of the energy flux of the TE term, the TM term, and the apertured four-petal Gaussian beam are also presented in the far-field reference plane, respectively. The energy flux distributions of the TE term, the TM term, and the apertured four-petal Gaussian beam are graphically demonstrated in the far-field plane. The dependences of the energy flux distributions of the TE term, the TM term, and the apertured four-petal Gaussian beam on the f-parameter, the truncation parameter, and the beam order are also examined.     

Studies of beam propagation characteristics on apertured fractional Fourier transforming systems

Based on the principle that a rectangular function can be expanded into a sum of complex Gaussian functions with finite numbers, propagation characteristics of a Gaussian beam or a plane wave passing through apertured fractional Fourier transforming systems are analyzed and corresponding analytical formulae are obtained. Analytical formulae in different fractional orders are numerically simulated and compared with the diffraction integral formulae, the applicable range and exactness of analytical formulae are confirmed.It is shown that the calculating speed of using the obtained approximate analytical formulae, is several hundred times faster than that of using diffraction integral directly. Meanwhile, by using analytical formulae the effect of different aperture sizes on Gaussian beam propagation characteristics is numerically simulated, it is shown that the diffraction effect can be neglected when the aperture size is 5 times larger than the beam waist size.     

厄米-余弦-高斯光束通过具有光阑光学系统时的传输特性

当厄米_余弦_高斯光束通过带有矩形光阑的一阶ABCD近轴光学系统时,可由Collins公式给出其场分布的积分形式。将其中硬边光阑的窗口函数写成矩形函数,并将矩形函数用高斯函数展开,通过积分可得到由光阑限制的厄米_余弦_高斯光束传输的解析式。分析和讨论了厄米_余弦_高斯光束通过具有圆孔光阑限制的薄透镜系统时的情况,其结果与直接用广义衍射积分公式进行复杂数值计算时的结果完全一致。这样不仅便于进行物理分析,而且也节省了计算机的计算时间。     

Crystal quartz optical whispering-gallery resonators

A quality factor exceeding 5x10(9) is obtained in whispering-gallery mode (WGM) resonators fabricated of crystalline quartz. We observe significant electrical tunability of WGMs in x-cut resonators and demonstrate an electro-optic modulator with a submegahertz passband at 12 GHz. We discuss other photonics applications of the crystal quartz WGM resonators in narrowband agile tunable filters, compact narrow linewidth lasers, and microwave and millimeter wave oscillators.