Abstract

Recently, in the framework of geometrical optics, it was shown that tight focusing of ultrashort light pulses by lenses leads to sufficient pulse broadening in the focal plane of the lens.¹ However, for many applications it is important to know the spatial and temporal distribution of an ultrashort pulse. Such consideration is possible only on the basis of diffraction theory. The spatial and temporal limits of focusing in the framework of diffraction theory were recently described for the particular case of Gaussian temporal and homogeneous space distribution of the pulse.²

© 1994 Optical Society of America