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The Gaussian function has a 1/e 2 diameter (2w as used in the text) about 1.7 times the FWHM.. At a position z along the beam (measured from the focus), the spot size parameter w is given by a hyperbolic relation: [1] = + (), where [1] = is called the Rayleigh range as further discussed below, and is the refractive index of the medium.
Each optical element (surface, interface, mirror, or beam travel) is described by a 2 × 2 ray transfer matrix which operates on a vector describing an incoming light ray to calculate the outgoing ray. Multiplication of the successive matrices thus yields a concise ray transfer matrix describing the entire optical system.
In optics, the complex beam parameter is a complex number that specifies the properties of a Gaussian beam at a particular point z along the axis of the beam. It is usually denoted by q . It can be calculated from the beam's vacuum wavelength λ 0 , the radius of curvature R of the phase front , the index of refraction n ( n =1 for air), and ...
Laser machine shops care a lot about the M 2 parameter of their lasers because the beams will focus to an area that is M 4 times larger than that of a Gaussian beam with the same wavelength and D4σ waist width; in other words, the fluence scales as 1/M 4. The rule of thumb is that M 2 increases as the laser power increases.
Unlike the previous beam width definitions, the D86 width is not derived from marginal distributions. The percentage of 86, rather than 50, 80, or 90, is chosen because a circular Gaussian beam profile integrated down to 1/e 2 of its peak value contains 86% of its total power. The D86 width is often used in applications that are concerned with ...
Gaussian beam width () as a function of the axial distance .: beam waist; : confocal parameter; : Rayleigh length; : total angular spread In optics and especially laser science, the Rayleigh length or Rayleigh range, , is the distance along the propagation direction of a beam from the waist to the place where the area of the cross section is doubled. [1]
M 2 is useful because it reflects how well a collimated laser beam can be focused to a small spot, or how well a divergent laser source can be collimated. It is a better guide to beam quality than Gaussian appearance because there are many cases in which a beam can look Gaussian, yet have an M 2 value far from unity. [1]
It corresponds to the beam parameter product (BPP) in Gaussian beam optics. Other names for etendue include acceptance, throughput, light grasp, light-gathering power, optical extent, [1] and the AΩ product. Throughput and AΩ product are especially used in radiometry and radiative transfer where it is related to the view factor (or shape factor).