Degree of paraxiality for monochromatic light beams.
We introduce the degree of paraxiality as a paraxiality measure of a monochromatic light beam. Computation of this parameter is possible once the plane-wave spectrum of the field being analyzed is given for a starting source plane. On the basis of this definition, quantitative comparisons of the paraxiality of different types of fields are possible. In addition, the recently introduced paraxial estimator [Opt. Lett.32, 927 (2007)] is identified as the limiting case of the degree of paraxiality.
Centro Interforze Studi per le Applicazioni Militari, San Piero a Grado (Pi), Italy.
Omar El
OE
Gawhary
Sergio
S
Severini