Considerations On Wavelength Scaling For Optical Systems

Petras V. Avizonis

doi:10.1117/12.934808

7 November 1983 Considerations On Wavelength Scaling For Optical Systems

Petras V. Avizonis

Proceedings Volume 0380, Los Alamos Conf on Optics '83; (1983) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.934808
Event: Los Alamos Conference on Optics, 1983, New Mexico, United States

Abstract

Normally when one considers the intensity in the far field and how it scales with wavelength, a very quick and superficially simple answer is reached. Namely, the answer is that far field intensity scales inversely as wavelength squared, i.e., I(λ1)/I(λ2) = (λ2/λ1)2. Unfortunately, this relationship is only true for what is called the "on-axis intensity" of the central diffraction lobe. In most cases the interest is not to deliver a central intensity to the far field, but to deliver a maximum amount of power within a defined spot size in the far field. This spot size is normally defined to be within the first zero of the Airy pattern, or the exp (-2) point on a Gaussian intensity distribution. The purpose of this article is to examine how the far field average irradiance rather than on-axis intensity scales with wavelength, and how simple aberrations affect such average irradiance.

Citation Download Citation

Petras V. Avizonis "Considerations On Wavelength Scaling For Optical Systems", Proc. SPIE 0380, Los Alamos Conf on Optics '83, (7 November 1983); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.934808

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