• Chinese Optics Letters
  • Vol. 6, Issue 6, 06395 (2008)
Guoquan Zhou*, Xiuxiang Chu, and Jun Zheng
Author Affiliations
  • School of Sciences, Zhejiang Forestry University, Lin'an 311300
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    Guoquan Zhou, Xiuxiang Chu, Jun Zheng. Composition of Airy disc[J]. Chinese Optics Letters, 2008, 6(6): 06395 Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    The description of a plane wave diffracted by a circular aperture is directly started from the Maxwell's equations. Based on the vector angular spectrum representation of Maxwell's equations, the diffracted plane wave is decomposed into the TE and TM terms. The analytical TE and TM terms in the far field are presented by stationary phase. As the TE and TM terms are orthogonal to each other in the far field, their sum constitutes the so-called Airy disc pattern. Therefore, this research reveals the composition of Airy disc, which is beneficial to deepen and enhance the recognition of the classical diffraction problem.
    Guoquan Zhou, Xiuxiang Chu, Jun Zheng. Composition of Airy disc[J]. Chinese Optics Letters, 2008, 6(6): 06395
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