Since a ray is, by definition, normal to the optical wavefront an understanding of the ray behavior makes it possible to trace the evolution of optical waves when they are passing through various optical elements. We find that the passage of a ray(or its reflection) through these elements can be described by simple 2x2 matrices Furthermore these matrices will be found to describe the propagation of spherical waves and of gaussian beams such as those which are characteristics of the output of lasers
• Since a ray is, by definition, normal to the optical wavefront, an understanding of the ray behavior makes it possible to trace the evolution of optical waves when they are passing through various optical elements. We find that the passage of a ray (or its reflection) through these elements can be described by simple 2x2 matrices. Furthermore, these matrices will be found to describe the propagation of spherical waves and of Gaussian beams such as those which are characteristics of the output of lasers
Ray propagation through cascaded elements A single 4-element ray matrix equal to the ordinary matrix product of the individual ray matrices can thus describe the total or overall ray propagation through a complicated sequence of cascaded optical elements. Note however, that the matrices must be arranged in inverse order from the order in which the ray physically encounters the corresponding elements
• Ray propagation through cascaded elements: • A single 4-element ray matrix equal to the ordinary matrix product of the individual ray matrices can thus describe the total or overall ray propagation through a complicated sequence of cascaded optical elements. Note, however, that the matrices must be arranged in inverse order from the order in which the ray physically encounters the corresponding elements
二腔内光线往返传播的矩阵表示 由曲率半径为R1和R2的两个球面镜M1和M2组 成的共轴球面腔,腔长为L,开始时光线从 M面上出发,向M2方向行进 当凹面镜向着腔内时,R取正值;当凸面镜向 着腔内时,R取负值 光线从M面上出发到达M2面上时
二 腔内光线往返传播的矩阵表示 • 由曲率半径为R1和R2的两个球面镜M1和M2组 成的共轴球面腔，腔长为L，开始时光线从 M1面上出发，向M2方向行进 当凹面镜向着腔内时，R取正值；当凸面镜向 着腔内时，R取负值 光线从M1面上出发到达M2面上时 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 0 1 L r r r L T = =