ABCD Law for Rays

2
For paraxial rays tanqq=dr/dz
q2
1
Output parameters are
q1
r2 ?
r1 r2 =1*r1 + d*r’1
Propagation
r'2 = 0*r1 + 1*r’1
d axis (z)

 r2  1 d   r1 
 '   r' 
 2 
r 0 1  1 
In Gral the relation between output and input parameters of a optical system
Is given by the ABCD matrix of the form

 rout   A B   rin 
 ' 
The determinant of the coefficient of the matrix
  r' 
 out  
r C D   in  is unitary i.e AD-BC=1

Example. Consider two lenghts of free space:

1 2 3  r3  1 d 2   r2 
 '   r' 
 3 
r 0 1  2 

r2 r3  r2  1 d1   r1 
r1  '   r' 
 2 
r 0 1  1 
d1 d2

 r3  1 d 2  1 d1   r1  1 d 2  d1   r1 
 '     '   r' 
 3 
r 0 1  0 1  1  
r 0 1  1 
 Some common ray matrices
Thin lens
For thin lens
b r2 =r1
r2 =A*r1 + B*r’1

f f a → A=1 & B=0

For ray a, input slop is 0, but the output slope is -r1/f

r1a
r2' a    Cr1a  Dr1'a  Cr1a  D *0 → C= -1/f
f
For ray b, the input slope is +r1/f and exit parallel to the axis thus r2’=0

1 r1a  1 0
r  0  Cr1b  Dr   r1a  D
' '
→ D= 1
T  1 
2b 1b
f f
 1
 f 
 Reflection from a mirror

For mirrors, the input and exit planes are on the same surface of the mirror

The effect of a mirror on a ray is to redirect its path according to the laws of
geometric optic.

 1 0
T  2 
 1
 R 
R
 R2 R1  1 0  1 d
T  
 1/ f 1  0 1 
 1 d 

 1/ f 1  d / f 
d Unit cell
f2
f1

 1 d  1 d 
T    1/ f
 1/ f1 (1  d / f1 
) 2 (1  d / f 2 ) 

 d  d  
 1 d  d 1   
 f2  f2  
 
1 1  d   d 
   1   1  1     d  d
 f1 f 2  f1   f1  f 2  f1 
 Optical Cavities
This matrix is too messy for the unit cell. Now imagine the matrix for an infinity
number of units!!

Simple solution can be found if a second order difference equation for the ray
as it passes the various planes of the succeeding unit cells which corresponds
to observing a ray as it makes successive round trips through the cavity

 rout   A B   rin  rs+1 =Ars + B*r’s Eliminating the slope from these Eqs.
 '    r' 
 out  
r C D   in  r‘s = 1/B(rs+1 - A*rs)

And r‘s+1 = 1/B(rs+2 - A*rs+1) = Crs + Dr‘s = Crs + D/B(rs+1 - A*rs)

1/B(rs+2 - A*rs+1) = Crs + D/B(rs+1 - A*rs)

rs+2 – 2[(A+D)/2]rs+1 +rs= 0 where AD-BC=1 has been used

It is a there a solution for which r is kept inside the cavity?

 rmax

s-2 s-1 s s+1 s+2

For stable solutions, the rays travels along the cavity, so its solution must be an
oscillating one
rs  rmax (eiq ) s  rmax eiq s

  A  D  iq 
rmax eiq s ei 2q  2   e  1  0
  2  
This is quadratic eq. in exp(iq). The two solutions are

 A D   A D 
2
iq
e  cos q  isenq     i 1  
 2   2 
 Stability Diagram
The general solution is a combination of both solutions:

rs  rmax eisq  rmax e isq

rs  rmax sin( sq  a )

The solution must be real so (A+D)/2 must be +/-1

 A D  A D  2
1  cos q     1 or 0  1 Stability condition
 2  4

A D  2 1  d d  d  d 
 1    1  1    2 
4 4  f 2 f1  f 2  f1  

d d d2  d  d 
=1     1   1  
2 f 2 2 f1 4 f1 f 2  2 f1  2 f 2 
  d  d   d  d 
0  1   1  
  1   1   1 or 0  g1 g 2  1
 2 f1  2 f 2   R1  R2 

unstable
 ABCD Law for Gaussian beams
The ABCD law is very important and yet very simple: It states that the complex
beam parameter q of a Gaussian beam changes as it propagates through optical
systems according to:

Aq1  B
q2  Where A, B, C & D are the terms of the ray
Cq1  D matrix for a particular optical system

Example: Find the q-parameter after propagation distance d in free space

1 d  Sabemos que q2= q2+d. Usando Ley ABCD:

T  
 0 1 
1  q1  d
q2   q1  d
0  q1  1
The q-parameter is easily intepreted in terms of its reciprocal
1 1 
 i
q R  w2
 1 C  D(1/ q1 )

q2 A  B(1/ q1 )
If one assumes a beam with a minimum spot size w0 and a planar wavefront at
z=0. Applying ABCD law:
1 0  1  (i /  w02 ) 1 
   i
q2 ( z ) 1  z  (i /  w02 ) R ( z )  w2 ( z )

Example: Find the q-parameter after passing through a lens as shown in the fig.

1 1/ f  1  (1/ q1 ) 1 1
  
q2 1  0 1/ q1 f q1
 1 1  1 1 
 i    i
q1   w02 q2 f  w02

The spot size just after the right of the lens is equal to that at the left and the beam
Appears to be converging towards the focal point.

As an example of the utility of the law, we can use it to predict the minimum focal
spot size achievable with a lens. The transmission matrix for a lens plus a free space
z is

1  z / f z 1 1/ f  1  (1/ q1 ) 1 
T    i
 1/ f 1  q2 (1  z / f )  z 1/ q1 R( z )  w2 ( z )

1 1 / f  z (1 / f 2  1 / z0 )

R( z ) (1  z / f ) 2  ( z / z0 ) 2
 1 / z0

 w2 ( z ) (1  z / f ) 2  ( z / z0 ) 2
Minimizing the last Eq. we obtain that the spot size does not minimize at z=f
but at zM, given by

f
zM  However, for z0>>f zM=f
1  ( f / z0 ) 2

Using this result and the Eq. for w(z), the ‘focal’ spot size is
 1/ z0

 w0 ( zM ) (1  zM / f ) 2  ( zM / z02 ) 2
2

2 f 2 #
w0 ( zM )   f
 2w0 
 HIGHER ORDER MODES (HERMITE GAUSSIAN BEAM)
So far, the value of A in the solution was assumed a constant,
(1)

but this is not the only solution. A more general solution will now be obtained
by assuming A is a function of x, y, and z

(2)

A
where j(x, y, z) is the solution that has already been obtained. The
functions g and h must obey the paraxial wave equation

 2  2  (3)
  2ik 0
x 2
y 2
z
Substiting new equation into PWE
g h
g'  , h' 
( x / w)  ( y / w)
 
A exp  i  P( z )  k ( x 2  y 2  / 2q( z )    
ikx

x x q

 2  1 kx  2  i ( z )
  2 g '' h  2i g ' h  gh 2  e
x 2
w wq x  (4)

 2  1 ky  2  i ( z )
  2 gh ''  2i gh '  gh 2  e (5)
y 2
w wq y 

    1
2ik  2ikghei  2kghei  2ikygh ' ei   (6)
z z z z  w 
 1
2ikxg ' he   
i

z  w 
The sum of the last terms in Eqs. (4), (5), and (6) are zero because  itself
satisfies Eq. (3). The total sum divided by /W2 gives

g '' h ''  g' h '   kw   1  

  2i  x  y    kw2     2kw2 0 (7)
g h  g h  q z  w   z

 1 1 w w 4z  1 4z
         (8)
z  w  w2 z z w(kw0 ) 2 z  w  w3 (kw0 )2

z0=kw20/2

w  w0 
2 2 1  ( z0 / z ) 2

 2


z 1  ( z0 / z ) 2
  w2 R ( z )
  0

4 R( z )
2 
w0 2 2
z 2
z
 ( z0 / z )   z( z0 / z )  z0 (kw0 )

(9)
2   1  4 zkw2 4 zkw (kw0 ) 2 kw
kw        
z  w  w3 (kw0 )2 (kw0 )2 4 zR( z ) R( z )
 1 1 2i
Using   2
q R( z ) kw ( z )

1
Then kW / q  kW 2    2i / W
z  W 

g '' h '' 4  g ' h' 

   x  y   2kw2 0
g h w g h z
(10)

Replacing Eq.(10) into Eq.(7) we obtain:

g '' 4 x g ' h '' 4 y h ' 2 

    2kw 0 (11)
g w g h w h z
Function of x Function of y Function of y

This Eq. is solved by the method of separation of variables

The function of x

where (12)

(13)

The Hermite polynomial of order n is defined as:

d n  x2
H n ( x)  (1) e
n x2
n
(e ) (14)
dx
We see that Eq.(12) almost satisfies the differential equation of the Hermite
polynomial Eq.(13) except that the coefficient is 4 instead of 2 in the first order
derivative.

Inserting the change of variables

(15)

Into Eq.(12) we obtain (16)

Similarly, by changing the variables

(17)
We obtain a similar Eq. to Eq. (16). Finally inserting the resulting Eq and Eq.(16)
into Eq.(12)

1 1 2 
 g ''  2 sg '  
 h ''  2 th '   kw 0
g h z (18)

-2n -2m 2(n+m)

(19)

(20)

(21)
The solution for Eq. (19) and (20) then

(22)

Using
Measured mode patterns inside a cavity with concave mirrors.
 Higher Order Modes in Cylindrical Coordinates
Laguerre-Gaussian beams
In a cylindrical coordinate system, a general solution must allow variation of the electric field
as a function of the polar angle j. In addition, a trial solution need not be limited to the purely
Gaussian form employed earlier but may contain terms with additional radial variation. A
plausible trial solution for such a higher order solution is

S(r) is an unknown radial function, and m is an integer. Assuming the same form for q as
obtained for the fundamental Gaussian beam mode, we find that the paraxial wave equation
reduces to a differential equation for S. The solutions obtained are

where w is the beam radius as defined and used previously and Lpm is the generalized
Laguerre polynomial. In the Gaussian beam context, p is the radial index and m is the
angular index. The polynomials Lpm (u) are solutions to Laguerre's differential equation
They can also be obtained from direct series representations
 Bessel beams
The Bessel beam propagates in free space with minimum spread in the
ransverse direction over distances of several meters. Because of this unusual
property, the beam has been dubbed a diffraction-free beam.

Intensity distributions for a Bessel beam:

z =0 m z=4 m

Photograph of the
z=2 m z=5.5 m Bessel beam at 9.6 m
On-axis intensity of the Bessel beam

Theory Experiment

The intensity decays abruptly at a distance z=zmax.

Applications

z=0 cm Nonlinear optics (long interaction distance)

=10

=100
Due to the sharp fall-off of the transmission
power at a predetermined distance, the Bessel
beam might be useful as a means of power
transport

Optical tweezers
Generation of the Bessel beam
Since the sources are in
the front focal plane, the
light emerging from
the lens is in the form of
two parallel beams B1
and B2 with angles of
inclination q=±tan-1(a/f)
where f is the focal
length of the lens.
 the resultant field creates a cosinusoidal standing wave pattern in
the x direction and a traveling wave in the z direction. Let this wave
be called the cosine beam. The spacing L between the standing
wave peaks is

1. The wave propagates while maintaining the same cosine transverse pattern
2Acosax.

2. The beam abruptly ends at zmax= Rtan-1q =Rf/a where the crossover of the
two beams ends. Since the radius R of the lens is finite, zmax is always finite.

3. The propagation constant along the beam (z axis) is less than that of free
space and can be adjusted by means of q.

4. By placing a -radian phase shifter in front of one of the delta function

sources, the cosine beam can be converted into a sine beam.
The distances to all subsections are the same as long as the point of
observation is on the z axis, and in this case, the contributions of the
subsections are all added in phase.

As soon as the point of observation moves away from the z axis,

phase mismatch occurs among the contributions of the subsections
of the ring source. Thus, the field intensity reaches its maximum on
the z axis and decays in a rippling fashion with distance away from
the z axis.

Approximately, the field distribution in the transverse plane is a

Bessel function and the beam is expressed as
 1  2u
 u 2 2 0
2

v t

Using the trial function u (r )  f (r )ei ( k z z t ) and substituting in wave Eq

d 2 f (r) df ( r ) 2 2
r 2
2
 r  r (k  k z2 ) f ( r )  0
dr dr
0
Bessel beams are solution to the Eq

By taking x=krr then f (r )  J 0 (k r r ) where k r2  k 2  k z2

u (r , z, t )  J 0 (k r r )ei ( k z z t ) kr=ksinq y kz=kcosq

u (r , z, t )  J 0 (kr sin q )ei ( kz cosq t )

Input field Einc(r) to the convex lens? Fresnel approximation of the Fresnel–
Kirchhoff diffraction formula

source
k ik ( f  a2 / 2 f )
Einc  Ae ikr 2 / 2 f
J 0 (kar / f ), A= e
if
Eincr on the front surface of the convex lens is the zero order Bessel function of
the first kind combined with a quadratic phase factor exp(jkr2/2f) but the lens
introduces a phase factor of the opposite sign
exp(-jkr2/2f)

The field on the output surface from the convex lens is AJ0(kar/f).

The Fresnel approximation of the field E(ri, z) emergent from the convex lens
is obtained again by the Fresnel–Kirchhoff integral as

where ri is the radial coordinate of the point of observation at a distance z

away from the lens L.
The expression for the on-axis field distribution (ri =p=0) along the z axis is
By using and the values for q, a, x, and ri=0, the factor
A’/2q is

By using then

The calculation of the integral for the off-axis field distribution is more involved and can be
found in P. L. Overfelt and C. S. Kenney, “Comparison of the propagation characteristics
of Bessel, Bessel–Gauss and Gaussian beams diffracted by a circular aperture,” J. Opt.
Soc. Am. A 8(5), 732–745 (1991).
 Higher Order Bessel Beams

K. Volke, et al J. Opt. B: Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 4 (2002) S82–S89