title: Intra-cavity flat-top beam generation.
abstract: We present the analytical and numerical analyses of two new resonator systems for generating flat-top-like beams. Both approaches lead to closed form expressions for the required cavity optics, but differ substantially in the design technique, with the first based on reverse propagation of a flattened Gaussian beam, and the second a metamorphosis of a Gaussian into a flat-top beam. We show that both have good convergence properties, and result in the desired stable mode.
authors.affiliation: CSIR National Laser Centre, PO Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. ilitvin@csir.co.za
authors.forename: Igor A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Litvin
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forbes
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D008029:Lighting / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012542:Scattering, Radiation