Topic
Physical optics
About: Physical optics is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5342 publications have been published within this topic receiving 101388 citations. The topic is also known as: wave optics.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
More filters
••
TL;DR: The concept of retardance is critically analyzed for ray paths through optical systems described by a three-by-three polarization ray-tracing matrix and algorithms are presented to separate the effects of retardances from geometric transformations.
Abstract: The concept of retardance is critically analyzed for ray paths through optical systems described by a three-by-three polarization ray-tracing matrix. Algorithms are presented to separate the effects of retardance from geometric transformations. The geometric transformation described by a “parallel transport matrix” characterizes nonpolarizing propagation through an optical system, and also provides a proper relationship between sets of local coordinates along the ray path. The proper retardance is calculated by removing this geometric transformation from the three-by-three polarization ray-tracing matrix. Two rays with different ray paths through an optical system can have the same polarization ray-tracing matrix but different retardances. The retardance and diattenuation of an aluminum-coated three fold-mirror system are analyzed as an example.
47 citations
••
TL;DR: In this paper, the generalized set of Maxwell-Bloch equations was derived to take into account the dependence of relaxation coefficients on the amplitude and frequency of the coherent field, which has interesting implications in many problems in quantum optics and laser physics, e.g., the problem of lasing without inversion due to a strong coherent generating field.
Abstract: We derive the generalized set of Maxwell-Bloch equations which takes into account the dependence of relaxation coefficients on the amplitude and frequency of the coherent field. This has interesting implications in many problems in quantum optics and laser physics, e.g., the problem of lasing without inversion due to a strong coherent generating field.
47 citations
••
47 citations
••
TL;DR: Using azimuthal polarization, it is shown that an amplitude-phase filter allows generation of a subdiffractive dark spot in a prescribed finite area.
Abstract: We compare generation of a dark spot using focusing of beams with azimuthal polarizion, radial polarization with a vortex, and a circular polarization with either a first or second order vortex. By optimization of the amplitude-phase pupil, it is ascertained that azimuthal polarization is the most suitable one to obtain the diffraction bounded dark spot per se whose scalar approximation limit has FWHM=0.29λ. Consequently, for dark spot generation, this polarization plays the role of the radial polarization in creation of the diffraction-limited bright spot. Using azimuthal polarization, it is shown that an amplitude-phase filter allows generation of a subdiffractive dark spot in a prescribed finite area.
47 citations
••
TL;DR: In this paper, it was shown that the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction integral is equivalent to the Fourier transform integral of a generalized pupil function which includes a term that represents phase errors in the aperture.
Abstract: This paper is an attempt to provide new insight into the behavior of near-field scalar diffraction phenomena by showing that the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction integral is equivalent to the Fourier transform integral of a generalized pupil function which includes a term that represents phase errors in the aperture. This term can be interpreted as describing a conventional wavefront aberration function. The resulting aberration coefficients are calculated and expressed in terms of the aperture diameter, observation distance, and appropriate field parameter for several different geometrical configurations of incident beam and observation space. These aberrations, which are inherently associated with the diffraction process, are precisely the effects ignored when making the usual Fresnel and Fraunhofer approximations.
47 citations