MATLAB implementation of a Fourier approach to optical wave propagation

Abstract

This thesis explores a MATLAB implementation of a Fourier transform approach to model and predict transient optical wave propagation through free- space. A three-step approach is adopted in this study. First, the mathematical development establishes the importance of the total impulse response as the Green's function, meeting the boundary conditions and solving the wave equation. Second, a MATLAB program is developed to simulate the mathematical model by computing and displaying the graphical representation of an optical wave's spatial distribution on a plane at a given distance from a spatially filtered source. Third, a circular excitation function is used to verify the program and then the results of another three excitations, namely the square, circularly truncated Gaussian and circularly truncated Bessel functions are similarly generated. The effort of this thesis provides an inexpensive means to analyze a transient optical wave propagation of a spatially filtered optical source.