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Ray and Wave Propagation Through Optical Media

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Principles of Lasers

Abstract

Before beginning a detailed discussion on optical resonators, which is to be the subject of the next Chapter, we introduce in this Chapter a few topics from geometrical and wave optics. The aim is to introduce some subjects that are not usually covered in elementary optics texts and that constitute a very useful background for the topics to be considered in next chapter. Thus, in particular, the matrix formulation of geometrical optics within the paraxial-ray approximation and wave propagation within the paraxial-wave approximation, leading to the ideas of Gaussian beam propagation, will be discussed here. Situations involving multiple interference such as in a multilayer dielectric coating or in a Fabry-Perot interferometer will also be considered.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For “finite” apertures of the optical system, diffraction effects would be produced at these apertures thus sizeably changing the transmitted field.

References

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  4. Thin Films for Optical Systems, ed. by F. R. Flory (Marcel Dekker, New York 1995).

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Svelto, O. (2010). Ray and Wave Propagation Through Optical Media. In: Principles of Lasers. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1302-9_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1302-9_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-1301-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-1302-9

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