Abstract
Analytical expressions are obtained for the spatial distribution of the temporal
spectra of paraxial waves consisting of one complete vibration of the electromagnetic
field in the regions of Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction and for the spatiotemporal
distribution of their field in the region of Fraunhofer diffraction. It is shown that,
when such waves are diffracted—for example, terahertz waves—strong changes
of not only the spatial but also the temporal structure of the radiation can occur: The
number of field vibrations and their period varies with distance, in general differently
on the axis and at the periphery of the wave packet. It is demonstrated that a
quasi-discrete structure of the temporal spectrum of the radiation is formed in the
process of diffraction.
© 2011 OSA
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