On beam models and their paraxial approximation
Optics
2018-01-17 v1 High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Classical Physics
Abstract
We derive focused laser pulse solutions to the electromagnetic wave equation in vacuum. After reproducing beam and pulse expressions for the well-known paraxial Gaussian and axicon cases, we apply the method to analyse a laser beam with Lorentzian transverse momentum distribution. Whilst a paraxial approach has some success close to the focal axis and within a Rayleigh range of the focal spot, we find that it incorrectly predicts the transverse fall-off typical of a Lorentzian. Our vector-potential approach is particularly relevant to calculation of quantum electrodynamical processes in weak laser pulse backgrounds.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1705.08554,
title = {On beam models and their paraxial approximation},
author = {W. J. Waters and B. King},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1705.08554},
year = {2018}
}
Comments
8 pages, 9 figures