Abstract

A conventional approach to solving diffraction problems involves integrating an input field multiplied by the Fresnel diffraction kernel. Alternately, one can solve the associated differential equation subject to certain boundary conditions. The Hermite- and Laguerre-Gaussian beam modes are complete and orthogonal sets of functions for this differential equation suited, respectively, for Cartesian and cylindrical geometries. Proceeding in this way, we describe a Gaussian beam expansion approach that is suitable for solving certain diffraction problems.

© 1986 Optical Society of America