Propagation of a vectorial Laguerre–Gaussian beam beyond the paraxial approximation

Based on the vectorial Rayleigh–Sommerfeld integrals, the analytical propagation expression of a vectorial Laguerre–Gaussian 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 the vectorial Laguerre–Gaussian beam is depicted in the reference plane. The light intensity distribution of a vectorial Laguerre–Gaussian beam with cos m is also compared with that of a vectorial Laguerre–Gaussian beam with sin m.     

非傍轴衍射光束横截面上的光强及其能量传输

运用角谱表示的矢量衍射理论,以平面波微小圆孔的非傍轴衍射为例,给出了垂直于光束传输方向的横截面上不同定义的三种光强（传统光强I、功率密度Jz、时间平均能流密度矢量的z分量〈Sz〉）的计算公式,并进行了详细的数值计算和比较研究.指出对微小孔衍射的能量传输,必须考虑光场的矢量特性.应用能流密度矢量S和功率流密度矢量J,分别计算了微小孔非傍轴衍射的透射系数,得到了一些新的结论.     

Analytical vectorial structure of an apertured hollow Gaussian beam in the far field

Based on the vector angular-spectrum and the complex Gaussian expansion of the aperture function, the structure of an apertured hollow Gaussian beam in the far field is given in a integral form. In virtue of the method of stationary phase approximation, the analytical vectorial structures are derived. Starting from the analytical expressions, the propagation properties of apertured hollow Gaussian beams with different order in the far field are illustrated graphically. In addition, the influence of the truncation parameter on far field distribution is studied detailedly. This research can shed light on the further understanding of the vectorial property of an apertured hollow Gaussian beam.     

A comparison of the vectorial nonparaxial approach with Fresnel and Fraunhofer approximations

Based on the vectorial Rayleigh diffraction integrals, a nonparaxial propagation equation of vectorial plane waves diffracted at a circular aperture is derived. The nonparaxial far-field expression, Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction formulae are given and treated as special cases of our general expression. The theoretical formulation permits us to study and compare the transversal and axial intensity distributions of diffracted plane waves both analytically and numerically. Illustrative numerical examples are given. It is shown that the vectorial nonparaxial approach has to be used if the aperture size is comparable with or less than the wavelength, and the knowledge of both transversal and axial intensity distributions is required to provide a comprehensive comparison of the paraxial and nonparaxial results.     

Far field structural characteristics of cosh-Gaussian beam

By means of the theorem of the vectorial structure of electromagnetic beams and the method of stationary phase, the analytical vectorial structure of cosh-Gaussian (ChG) beam in the far field is presented. The light intensity distributions of a ChG beam and its vectorial structure are investigated in the far field. In addition, the influence of the parameters associated with the cosh term on the light intensity distributions of the whole beam and its structure are also analyzed. The analytical formulae obtained here are applicable not only to the non-paraxial case, but also to the paraxial case. The physical picture of ChG beam in the far field is well depicted from the vectorial structure.     

Propagation of vectorial Gaussian beams behind a circular aperture

Based on the vectorial Rayleigh diffraction integral and the hard-edge aperture function expanded as the sum of finite-term complex Gaussian functions, an approximate analytical expression for the propagation equation of vectorial Gaussian beams diffracted at a circular aperture is derived and some special cases are discussed. By using the approximate analytical formula and diffraction integral formula, some numerical simulation comparisons are done, and some special cases are discussed. We find that a circular aperture can produce the focusing effect but the beam becomes the shape of ellipse in the Fresnel region. When the Fresnel number is equal to unity, the beam is circular and the focused spot reaches a minimum.     

Nonparaxial diffraction of vectorial plane waves at a small aperture

By using the vectorial Rayleigh diffraction integrals, a nonparaxial propagation equation of vectorial plane waves diffracted at a small rectangular aperture is derived analytically and some special cases are discussed. Numerical calculation results are given to illustrate the applicability and validity of our theoretical formulae. It is shown that for the apertured case the ratio of the aperture width and wavelength affects the beam nonparaxiality. The nonparaxial approach presented in this paper has to be used for diffracted plane waves if the aperture width is comparable with or less than the wavelength.     

Focusing and diffraction by an optical lens and a small circular aperture

Based on the vectorial Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction integrals, analytical expressions for the transversal and axial field distribution of plane waves propagating through a thin lens followed by a small circular aperture are derived and used to study the focusing and diffraction properties of plane waves. Some special cases of our general result are discussed, and illustrative numerical calculation results are given. It is found that the vectorial nonparaxial approach should be applied if the aperture dimension is comparable with the wavelength or the focusing is strong.     

Propagation of nonparaxial vector hollow Gaussian beams through a circular aperture

Based on the vectorial Rayleith-Sommerfeld formulae, the nonparaxial propagation properties of the vector hollow Gaussian beams (HGBs) through a circular aperture are studied in detail. We describe the derivation of the integral expressions of the propagation of nonparaxial vector HGBs through a circular aperture. The derived expression is independent the approximation of paraxial and far field, which are valid for either far and near field and for the systems in which aperture radius is comparable to or even smaller than wavelength. And it is also strict integral formula for the light field on the axis. Numerical calculation results indicate that there is no difference between derived formulae and the Collins formulae in the situation of paraxial approximation. Using the formula deduced, we calculate the propagation properties of HGBs. The calculated results indicate that the propagation field of vector hollow Gaussian beams is asymmetric in near field, while the propagation field is symmetric in far field. These research results could well shed light on the further understanding of the vectorial property of HGBs through a circular aperture, and would play a guiding role in the practical application of HGBs.     

A comparative study of the propagation of vectorial nonparaxial beams in the use of different approaches

Starting from the vectorial Rayleigh diffraction integral formula and using a simple expansion of the nucleus in the Rayleigh formula, an analytical propagation equation of vectorial nonparaxial Gaussian beams in free space is derived, which permits us to perform numerical calculations in comparison with the expression derived by Ciattoni et al. and with the direct numerical integration of the Rayleigh formula. It is found that as usual the use of expansion of vectorial Rayleigh diffraction integral is sufficient to provide satisfactory numerical results as compared with the direct integration of the Rayleigh formula. The above two analytical expressions are valid under certain conditions, however both are applicable in the far field.     

Calculation of the vectorial field distribution of an axicon illuminated by a linearly polarized Guassian beam

An analytical expression describing the vectorial field distribution of Gaussian light beams diffracted by an axicon is obtained. The theoretical analysis and simulation calculation show that for the linearly x-polarized light incident on an axicon, the y-component of the diffraction field is very small and the x-component dominates. The intensity of the z-component along the propagation direction is related with the open angle and index of axicon. The open angle plays the more important role in determining the polarization than does the index. For a small open angle, the z-polarized effect can be neglected and the scalar method is simple and valid to evaluating the diffraction field distribution of axicon. However, the vectorial method has to be used for great open angle.     

Analytical vectorial structure of the anomalous hollow beam in the far field

On the basis of the vector angular spectrum representation of the Maxwell equations and the method of stationary phase, the analytical vectorial structure of an anomalous hollow beam in free space is presented. The energy flux distributions of the anomalous hollow beam, its TE and TM terms in the far field are investigated. The analytical results are analyzed with numerical examples.     

Spectral characteristic of a pulsed hollow Gaussian beam passing through a circular aperture

The spectral characteristics of a pulsed hollow Gaussian beam passing through a circular aperture are studied. Based on the vectorial Rayleigh diffraction integrals, the analytical expressions of the spectra for the complex analytic signal representation and for the complex amplitude envelope representation are derived, respectively, and the comparison between them is made. The influences of the truncation parameter and the beam order on the spectral shifts and on the spectral switches are illustrated. It is shown that the spectrum for the complex analytic signal representation and that for the complex amplitude envelope representation are obvious different as the pulse shorter than an optical period.     

Vectorial structure of Hermite–Laguerre–Gaussian beam in the far field

Starting from Maxwell's equations, a Hermite–Laguerre–Gaussian (HLG) beam is decomposed into the TE and TM terms by using the vector angular spectrum representation. By means of the method of stationary phase, the analytical TE and TM terms are presented in the far field. The energy flux distributions of the TE and TM terms are also investigated and depicted in the far field. The influences of the additional angle parameter and Gaussian waist width on the vectorial structure and energy flux pattern of HLG beam are also investigated. This research reveals the internal vectorial structure of HLG beam and may provide a new approach to the manipulation of laser beams.     

Propagation of vectorial nonparaxial Gaussian beams through an annular aperture

Starting from the vectorial Rayleigh diffraction integrals, the nonparaxial propagation of vectorial Gaussian beams through an annular aperture is studied. The analytical propagation expressions are derived, which permit us to treat the on-axis field and far field of vectorial nonparaxial Gaussian beams diffracted at the annular aperture, the nonparaxial diffraction at a circular aperture and a circular disc as our special cases in a unified way. The validity of our treatment is confirmed by direct numerical integration of the Rayleigh formulae. It is shown that the f-parameter and annular obscuration affect the beam nonparaxiality in the case of diffraction at the annular aperture.     

球面折射物象公式的几种推导方法

分别从光线方程，程函方程，折射定射的矢量表示，哈密顿混合特征函数和球面折射矩阵出发导出近轴光线条件下球折射的物象公式。     

矢量非傍轴双曲余弦-高斯光束

 引入了矢量非傍轴双曲余弦-高斯(ChG)光束概念。使用矢量瑞利-索末菲衍射积分公式推导出了矢量非傍轴ChG光束在自由空间传输的解析公式。矢量非傍轴ChG光束轴上和远场的解析式以及傍轴结果作为一般传输公式的特例给出。研究表明,对矢量非傍轴ChG光束,其非傍轴性主要由f参数决定,但偏心参数会影响其横向光强剖面形状和非傍轴行为。     

Vectorial structure of a hard-edged-diffracted four-petal Gaussian beam in the far field

Based on the vector angular spectrum method and the stationary phase method and the fact that a circular aperture function can be expanded into a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, the analytical vectorial structure of a four-petal Gaussian beam (FPGB) diffracted by a circular aperture is derived in the far field. The energy flux distributions and the diffraction effect introduced by the aperture are studied and illustrated graphically. Moreover, the influence of the f-parameter and the truncation parameter on the non-paraxiality is demonstrated in detail. In addition, the approximate formulas obtained in this paper can degenerate into un-apertured case when the truncation parameter tends to infinity. This work is beneficial to strengthen the understanding of vectorial properties of the FPGB diffracted by a circular aperture.     

Propagation properties of vectorial elliptical Gaussian beams beyond the paraxial approximation

Starting from the vectorial Rayleigh diffraction integral formula and without using the far-field approximation, a solution of the wave equation beyond the paraxial approximation is found, which represents vectorial non-paraxial elliptical Gaussian beams in free space. The far-field expressions for non-paraxial Gaussian beams and elliptical Gaussian beams can be regarded as special cases treated in this paper. Some basic propagation properties of vectorial non-paraxial elliptical Gaussian beams, including the irradiance distribution, phase term, beam widths and divergence angles are studied. Numerical results are given and illustrated.