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.