arXiv · 2305.07724
A method to determine the M2 beam quality from the electric field in a single plane
Abstract
Laser beam quality is a key parameter for both industry and science. However, the most common measure, the M2 parameter, requires numerous intensity spatial-profiles for its determination. This is particularly inconvenient for modelling the impact of photonic devices on M2, such as metalenses and thin-film stacks, since models typically output a single electric field spatial-profile. Such a profile is also commonly determined in experiments from e.g., Shack-Hartmann sensors, shear plates, or off-axis holography. We introduce and test the validity and limitations of an explicit method to calculate M2 from a single electric field spatial-profile of the beam in any chosen transverse plane along the propagation direction.
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M. H. Griessmann, A. C. Martinez-Becerril, J. S. Lundeen. 2023-05-12. A method to determine the M2 beam quality from the electric field in a single plane. https://doi.org/10.1364/optcon.494610
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