Past exam of the laser science and quantum information processing course of the University of Oxford / 2022 / 2 / a

Use the complex beam parameter conventionHere $R_b$ is the wavefront curvature, distinguished from the mirror curvature $R$. In an unfolded propagation coordinate, a concave mirror has the ray transfer matrix $\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& 0\\ -2/R& 1\end{array}\right)$: a ray at height $x$ changes direction by $-2x/R$. The return to the original plane is thereforeThe Gaussian beam transformation $q^{\prime }=(Aq+B)/(Cq+D)$ givesFor $R=2L$, $M=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& L\\ -1/L& 0\end{array}\right)$ and $q^{\prime }=-L^2/q=i{L}^2/z_R$. The returning Gaussian beam consequently has a beam waist at the same plane, withThis alone does not make it the same Gaussian beam; equal Rayleigh ranges require $z_R=L$.

Adding the plane mirror requires a self-consistent optical resonator normal mode, $q^{\prime }=q=i{z}_R$. Since $A=D$, the fixed-point equation reduces to $C{q}^2=B$, givingFor a finite stable Gaussian beam, $0<L<R$. The same formula remains valid at $R=2L$, where self-consistency selects $z_R=L$. At the geometrical hemispherical limit $R=L$ it predicts $z_R=0$; that marginal boundary has no finite-width stable fundamental Gaussian beam. Thus the source's word “hemispherical” is used for the plano-concave family, including the near-hemispherical case below.