Abstract

The structure of the electromagnetic field near the focus of a stigmatic lens is investigated by use of the vectorial integral representation and the Fresnel formulas of refraction. The electric and magnetic vectors are calculated in the image space; from these, the energy densities and the Poynting vector are obtained. Numerical results, calculated for the focal plane and illustrated by diagrams, emphasize the departure from scalar theory. At the limit of small angular apertures, the results approach the scalar theory, i.e., the known Airy pattern.

© 1973 Optical Society of America

Energy Flow in the Neighborhood of the Focus of a Coherent Beam*

A. Boivin, J. Dow, and E. Wolf
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 57(10) 1171-1175 (1967)

Electromagnetic field near focus as seen by a moving particle*

M. M-Tehrani and L. Mandel
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 64(7) 934-940 (1974)

Light scattering by a single cylindrical lens: numerical results from a rigorous theory

Walid Tabbara
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 63(1) 17-24 (1973)

Flux density for ray propagation in geometrical optics*

Donald G. Burkhard and David L. Shealy
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 63(3) 299-304 (1973)

Smith–Purcell radiation from a point charge moving parallel to a reflection grating

P. M. van den Berg
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 63(12) 1588-1597 (1973)