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Taking the Gaussian-Schell model vortex beam as an example, the free-space propagation of magnetic spectral Stokes singularities of stochastic electromagnetic beams in the paraxial approximation is studied and compared with the corresponding electric spectral Stokes singularities. It is shown that there exist magnetic spectral Stokes singularities of stochastic electromagnetic beams. By varying the spatial correlation length or propagation distance, the motion, creation, and annihilation of magnetic spectral Stokes singularities, the V point and handedness reversal of C point will take place. In comparison with the electric spectral Stokes singularities of stochastic electromagnetic beams, their positions are not the same, and the left- and right-handedness spaces do not coincide.

The propagation of an optical vortex beam through a diamond-shaped aperture is studied both numerically and experimentally. It is found that the diffraction pattern of the vortex beam through the diamond-shaped aperture is related with the topological charge m of the incident optical vortex beam. Thus, the magnitude of the vortex can be measured by using this method. A higher-order optical vortex (|m|>1) is topologically unstable and splits into |m| vortices with unit charge in the diffraction field, which deviate from the optical axis with a distance. The distance increases upon propagation. The theoretical predictions are confirmed by our experiments.

The composite Stokes singularities formed in the coherent and incoherent superposition of two vector monochromatic coherent optical fields are studied and compared analytically and numerically. It is shown that the dynamic behavior of composite Stokes singularities depends on the superposition scheme (coherent or incoherent superposition), initial spatial distributions of the two superimposed fields, and propagation distance, and for the coherent superposition additionally depends on the relative phase of the two fields. There exist S 12 (C-points), S 31 , S 23 composite singularities, and L-lines, in particular, V-points and C-lines at the transverse plane. Generally, both V-points and C-lines are unstable. For the coherent superposition the degree of polarization P =1, whereas for the incoherent superposition P may be less than 1 and is variable upon propagation. The results are illustrated analytically and numerically.

The dynamic evolution of Riemann–Silberstein (RS) vortices for Gaussian vortex beams with topological charges m = ± 1 in free space is studied. It is shown that for Gaussian on-axis vortex beams there exist both RS vortex with m = + 2 and circular edge dislocation. For Gaussian off-axis vortex beams the circular edge dislocation splits into two RS vortices with opposite topological charges m = ± 1 and the RS vortex with m = + 2 decays into two vortices with same topological charges m = + 1. The motion of RS vortices takes place by varying the propagation distance, waist width, off-axis parameter, or topological charge. RS vortices for Gaussian vortex-free beams can be treated as a special case. The results are illustrated analytically and numerically.

Taking the partially coherent cosh-Gaussian (ChG) vortex beam as an illustrative example, the composite spectral Stokes singularities formed by coherent and incoherent superpositions of partially coherent vortex beams beyond the paraxial approximation are studied, where the effect of superposition scheme on composite spectral Stokes singularities is stressed. It is shown that there exist s12 (C-points), s23 and s31 composite spectral Stokes singularities, which are variable by varying a control parameter, such as the spatial correlation length, waist width, off-axis distance, or decentered parameter, as well as the propagation distance. In particular, the number, position, degree of polarization of composite spectral Stokes singularities and the critical point at which the creation–annihilation process takes place depend on the superposition scheme. A comparison with the previous work is also made.

Young's interference experiment is regarded as a two-slit diffraction phenomenon, the polarization singularities in Young's two-slit configuration illuminated with two linearly, orthogonally polarized Gaussian vortex beams are studied. It is shown that generally, there exist L-lines (linearly polarization) and polarization singularities including C-points (circular polarization), S 23 and S 31 singularities even though the parameters of two beams are the same. The pair creation–annihilation and motion of polarization singularities take place upon propagation, or by varying a control parameter, such as the amplitude ratio of two beams or obscure ratio of slits etc. For a special case of the illumination with two linearly, orthogonally polarized Gaussian vortex-free beams, polarization singularities, in particular, C-points may occur if a parameter of two beams is not equal.

Analytical expression for the propagation of nonparaxial cosh-Gaussian (ChG) beams diffracted by a rectangular aperture is derived based on the vector Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction integrals and expansion of the aperture window function into a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, and used to study the phase singularities of nonparaxial diffracted ChG vortex beams. The pair creation, annihilation, motion of phase singularities in the diffracted field and the dependence of position and number of phase singularities on the aperture and beam parameters, as well as on the beam nonparaxiality are illustrated by numerical examples.

The concept of the degree of cross-polarization is extended from stochastic electromagnetic stationary beams to stochastic electromagnetic pulsed beams, and the propagation properties of the degree of cross-polarization of stochastic spatially and spectrally partially coherent electromagnetic pulsed beams is studied. The influence of pulse duration and temporal coherence length on the degree of cross-polarization P is emphasized. It is shown that P exhibits an oscillatory behavior in free-space propagation. An increase in the pulse duration or a decrease in the temporal coherence length can weaken the oscillation of P . The validity of the results is interpreted physically.

Except for the Lissajous singularities, the singular Lissajous line is shown to be in existence, which is emergent from the incoherent addition of two uncorrelated vector electric fields at arbitrarily different frequencies. The free-space propagation of the emergent Lissajous singularities and singular Lissajous line and their interaction are studied theoretically and illustrated numerically.

Based on the vectorial Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction integrals, the propagation expressions for non-paraxial Gaussian vortex beams diffracted by an annular aperture are derived, and are used to analyse polarisation singularities of non-paraxial Gaussian vortex beams in the diffraction field. It is shown that there exist polarisation singularities including C-points (S 12 vortices), S 23 vortices, and S 31 vortices. The number and position of polarisation singularities depend on the waist width of the beam, the off-axis distance of the vortex and the aperture parameter. The creation and annihilation of polarisation singularities appear as a controlling parameter – including the waist width, off-axis distance and aperture parameter – varies. When compared with the free-space propagation, more polarisation singularities may take place in the diffraction field.

A focused partially coherent flattened vortex beam used to trap a Rayleigh dielectric spherical particle with relative refractive index p N , waist width w 0 , correlation length σ 0 , particle radius a and focal length f is analyzed and illustrated by numerical examples. By a suitable choice of N , w 0 , σ 0 and f a stable trap of the Rayleigh particle is achievable. In particular, there exist critical values w 0 , c , σ 0,c for a partially coherent flattened vortex beam the particle can be trapped by the beam with w 0 less than w 0 , c and σ 0 larger than σ 0,c . A comparison with the previous work is made.

The explicit expression for the cross-spectral density of partially coherent elliptical Gaussian beams carrying an edge dislocation propagating through atmospheric turbulence along a slant path is derived, and used to study the transformation of the edge dislocation in atmospheric turbulence. We find that the edge dislocation disappears and transforms to a noncanonical coherence vortex, when partially coherent elliptical Gaussian beams with edge dislocation propagate through atmospheric turbulence. The inversion of the topological charge of the coherence vortex may take place. The ellipticity of the beam and slope of the edge dislocation play a dominant role in the evolution of the coherence vortex. In the coherent limit the coherence vortex in turbulence becomes an intensity vortex, however, differing from the case in free-space propagation, the position of the intensity vortex depends on the choice of the reference point. The results are illustrated analytically and numerically.

The analytical expression for nonparaxial Gaussian vortex beams propagating in free space is derived, which enables us to study phase and polarization singularities in nonparaxial vector wavefields. Differing from the polarization singularities formed by two transverse electric-field components in the paraxial regime, the polarization singularities can be formed by the transverse and longitudinal electric-field components of nonparaxial beams, and there exist C-points and L-lines. The variation of the beam parameters and propagation distance will result in a shift of phase and polarization singularities, but their position relation remains unchanged and the topological relationship holds true.

By using the extended Huygens–Fresnel principle, the analytical expressions for the generalized Stokes parameters of random electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) vortex beams propagating through atmospheric turbulence are derived, and used to study the changes in spectral Stokes parameters of random electromagnetic GSM vortex beams in atmospheric turbulence and to compare the results of random electromagnetic GSM vortex-free beams. The influence of atmospheric turbulence on the spectral Stokes parameters is analyzed. The validity of our results is interpreted physically.

The analytical expressions for the generalized (two-point) Stokes parameters of stochastic electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model pulsed (GSMP) beams propagating in free space are obtained. The changes in the spectral Stokes parameters in free space propagation are studied. The dependence of on-axis and transverse spectral Stokes parameters of stochastic electromagnetic GSMP beams on the pulse parameters including pulse duration and temporal coherence length is stressed and illustrated numerically. The results are interpreted physically.

The explicit far-field expressions for the TE and TM terms and energy flux distributions of electromagnetic elliptical Gaussian vortex beams are derived and their far-field properties including the phase singularities and energy flux distributions of the TE and TM terms and whole beam are studied in detail. It is shown that there exist two edge dislocations. The number and position of edge dislocations and energy flux distributions are dependent on the amplitude ratio and waist width ratio of electromagnetic elliptical Gaussian vortex beams. The analytical results are illustrated numerically.

The Lorentz and Lorentz–Gauss beams are extended to the nonparaxial regime. Analytical propagation expressions of nonparaxial Lorentz and Lorentz–Gauss beams in free space are derived, and the propagation of paraxial Lorentz and Lorentz–Gauss beams is treated as a special case of our general results. The propagation properties of Lorentz and Lorentz–Gauss beams are illustrated and compared with numerical examples.

The dynamic evolution of Lissajous singularities in free-space propagation is studied. It is shown that the pair creation and annihilation, handedness reversal and change in the degree of polarization of Lissajous singularities, as well as the rotation and change in the shape of Lissajous figures may appear upon propagation.

The composite spectral Stokes singularities are introduced to describe polarization singularities in superimposed partially coherent beams beyond the paraxial approximation. Based on the vector Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction integrals, the dynamic behavior of composite spectral Stokes singularities in the free-space propagation is studied and illustrated by numerical examples. A comparison with the previous work is also made.

Taking the stochastic electromagnetic J 0 -correlated Schell-model pulsed (JSMP) beam as a typical example of stochastic spatially and spectrally partially coherent electromagnetic pulsed beams, the analytical expressions for the cross-spectral density matrix, spectral density, spectral degree of polarization and spectral degree of coherence of stochastic electromagnetic JSMP beams propagating in free space are derived, and used to study the changes in the spectrum, polarization, and coherence of stochastic spatially and spectrally partially coherent electromagnetic JSMP beams. It is shown that the on-axis spectrum is blue-shifted in free-space propagation and is dependent on the pulse temporal coherence length and spatial correlation parameter. The distribution of the on-axis spectral degree of polarization depends on the frequency and spatial correlation parameter. The spectral degree of coherence increases with increasing pulse temporal coherence length. The results derived are interpreted physically.

Using the extended Huygens–Fresnel principle and the quadratic approximation of the phase structure function, and taking the Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) vortex beam as a typical example of partially coherent vortex beams, the explicit expressions for the cross-spectral density function and average intensity of GSM vortex beams with topological charge m=+1 propagating through slant atmospheric turbulence are derived, and used to study the propagation properties of GSM vortex beams in atmospheric turbulence along a slant path and evolution behavior of coherence vortices. It is shown that the spreading of GSM vortex beams along a horizontal path is larger than that along a slant path in the long atmospheric propagation. The propagation through horizontal atmospheric turbulence can be treated as a special case of the altitude-independent structure constant. The position of coherence vortices in slant atmospheric turbulence does not coincide with that in horizontal atmospheric turbulence, and the dependence of position of coherence vortices on the zenith angle, wavelength and reference point is illustrated by numerical examples. A comparison with the previous work is also made.

The adaptive genetic algorithms (AGAs) are applied to the design and optimization of phase plates for shaping partially coherent beams. The simulation procedure based on the AGAs is described. Numerical examples for shaping partially coherent Cosh–Gaussian (ChG) and Hermite–Gaussian (HG) beams demonstrate the advantage of the AGAs in applications to the partially coherent beam transformation and shaping.

The concept of coherent and incoherent combinations of partially coherent beams is described and interpreted physically. Taking the Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) beam as a typical example of a partially coherent beam, the analytical propagation expressions for the coherent and incoherent combinations of GSM beams beyond the paraxial approximation are derived and illustrated numerically. Some special cases of the general results are analyzed.

Based on the generalized Huygens–Fresnel diffraction integral and beam coherence polarization (BCP) matrix formulation, the focusing properties of a type of non-uniformly polarized (NUP) beam through a spherical aberrated lens with annular aperture are studied. The dependence of focal shift, intensity distribution, power in the bucket (PIB) and degree of polarization on the spherical aberration coefficient, obscure ratio and polarization parameters is illustrated numerically. The focusing of NUP beams by a spherically aberrated lens with circular aperture is treated as a special case, where the inner radius of the aperture is equal to zero.

The analytical expression for the spectrum of spatially and spectrally partially coherent cosh-Gaussian pulsed (ChGP) beams focused by an aperture lens is derived and used to study their spectral properties at the focal plane and on the axis. The effect of the truncation parameter, spatial correlation parameter, decentered parameter and temporal coherence length on the spectral shifts and spectral switches of spatially and spectrally partially coherent ChGP beams is stressed. The results are illustrated numerically and interpreted physically.

The spectral behaviors of pulsed Hermite–cosh–Gaussian (HChG) beams focused by an aperture lens are studied. The propagation equation for the power spectra of pulsed HChG beams focused by an aperture lens is derived and used to study the spectral anomalies of pulsed HChG beams in the focused field. Numerical results are given to illustrate the dependence of spectral anomalies behavior on the pulse parameter and truncation parameter. The potential applications of spectral anomalies of ultrashort pulsed beams in information encoding and information transmission are considered.

The rigorous electromagnetic theory of the diffraction of vector beams by an aperture is proposed and numerically evaluated by the diffraction of vector Gaussian beams by a circular aperture. The results are compared with those, by using the vector Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction integrals and angular-spectrum expression theory, showing a good consistency. The numerical calculation shows that the result calculated by the rigorous theory is much more precise than those calculated by the integral method in diffraction near field, and a highly consistency reaches by the three methods in diffraction far field. A further extension of the theory is discussed.

By using the generalized Huygens–Fresnel diffraction integral, the analytical expressions for the cross-spectral density matrix, spectral degree of polarization, orientation angle and degree of ellipticity of polarization ellipse of apertured stochastic electromagnetic modified Bessel–Gauss beams (MBGBs) through a paraxial optical ABCD system are derived, and used to study the changes in the state of polarization of apertured stochastic electromagnetic MBGBs propagating in free space. The invariance of the on-axis state of polarization of unapertured stochastic electromagnetic MBGBs propagating through paraxial optical ABCD systems is illustrated analytically and numerically. For apertured stochastic electromagnetic MBGBs, the on-axis spectral degree of polarization, orientation angle and degree of ellipticity of polarization ellipse increase with increasing propagation distance, and approach asymptotic values when the propagation distance is large enough. There is a uniform distribution region of the state of polarization around the center of the beams whose range decreases with increasing truncation parameter. In addition, the state of polarization of apertured stochastic electromagnetic MBGBs upon propagation can be modulated by controlling the truncation parameter.

The spectral and spatiotemporal properties of Bessel–Gauss pulsed beams focused by a dispersive aperture lens are studied, where the dispersion of the first, second, and higher orders is taken into consideration. It is shown that the spectral switches take place at the geometrical focal plane, and the dispersion of the first order leads to a shift of the critical position towards the z-axis. The dispersion plays a noticeable role in the spatiotemporal intensity distribution. The dispersion of the first order results in a decrease of the peak intensity, in a shift and a broadening of the pulse form, and the effect becomes more noticeable with increasing waist width. The dispersion of the second order results in a further broadening and a decrease of the peak intensity, and the effect is larger as the thickness of the lens increases. However, the dispersion of the higher order plays a relatively minor role. The results are illustrated by numerical examples and interpreted physically.

The interaction of the vortex and edge dislocation embedded in a cosh-Gaussion (ChG) beam is studied, where the both dislocations are on-axis, off-axis, or one is on-(off-) axis. It is shown that by varying a beam parameter of the ChG background beam or in the free-space propagation, the break-up of the edge dislocation and the motion, creation and annihilation of vortices may take place. In the vortex evolution process the topological charge is not conserved in general. The results are illustrated numerically and compared with the previous work.

The analytical expression of partially coherent Hermite–cosh-Gaussian (HChG) beams propagating through atmospheric turbulence is derived and used to study their propagation properties through atmospheric turbulence. It is shown that partially coherent HChG beams propagating through atmospheric turbulence undergo several stages of evolution and a decrease of the spatial correlation length speeds up the evolution process. The smaller the spatial correlation length and the larger the beam orders are, the less the beam-width spreading of partially coherent HChG beams is affected by turbulence. At a sufficiently long propagation distance the beam-width spreading of partially coherent HChG beams with smaller Ch-part parameter and smaller waist width is less affected by turbulence. The results are illustrated by numerical examples, and the validity of the results is interpreted physically.

The analytical expressions for the spectral degree of coherence and spectral intensity of spatially and spectrally partially coherent cosh-Gaussian pulsed (ChGP) beams propagating in free space are derived. It is shown that the spectral degree of coherence and spectral intensity of spatially and spectrally partially coherent ChGP beams depend on the spatial correlation parameter, decentered parameter and temporal coherence length. Depending on the decentered parameter, the effective width of the spectral degree of coherence can be larger than, smaller than or equal to that of the spectral intensity. The results are illustrated by numerical examples.

A method for the simulation and optimization of the source-field distribution of a diode bar laser (DBL) beam by using the stimulated annealing and experimental data in the far field is proposed and illustrated by an example of a DBL JOLD-60-CPNN-1L, showing the applicability of the method. As compared with the previous models, this method is not restricted to the type of diode lasers (DLs), and the reconstructed results are accurate so long as the experimental data are sufficiently accurate.

The phase singularities of focused dark-hollow Gaussian beams in the presence of spherical aberration are studied. It is shown that the evolution behavior of phase singularities of focused dark-hollow Gaussian beams in the focal region depends not only on the truncation parameter and beam order, but also on the spherical aberration. The spherical aberration leads to an asymmetric spatial distribution of singularities outside the focal plane and to a shift of singularities near the focal plane. The reorganization process of singularities and spatial distribution of singularities are additionally dependent on the sign of the spherical aberration. The results are illustrated by numerical examples.

Taking the Gaussian–Schell model vortex beam as a typical example of partially coherent vortex beams, the spatial correlation properties and correlation vortices of partially coherent vortex beams diffracted by an aperture are studied. It is shown that the off-axis displacement and spatial coherence affects the spectral degree of coherence. The number and position of correlation vortices depend on the off-axis displacement, spatial coherence, aperture truncation and propagation distance, where the effect of aperture diffraction on the correlation vortices is stressed. The number of correlation vortices decrease as the truncation parameter increases. The correlation vortices in the diffracted field result from the vortex embedded in partially coherent beams at the source plane rather than from the aperture diffraction. The correlation vortices in the diffracted field appear even when the vortex core is stopped by the aperture.

The phase singularities and spectral switches of focused higher-order Bessel–Gauss pulsed beams are studied. Numerical calculation results are given to illustrate the dependence of phase singularities and spectral switches of focused higher-order Bessel–Gauss pulsed beams on the truncation parameter, topological charge, spatial parameter and propagation distance. It is shown that there always exists an optical vortex at the center of focused higher-order Bessel–Gauss pulsed beams and the topological charge is conserved during the propagation. The spectral switch appears in the neighborhood of the zero- or minimum-intensity position. With increasing topological charge or spatial parameter, the size of the vortex core increases and the spectral transition height decreases.

Based on the propagation law of partially coherent beams, the closed-form propagation expression for partially coherent cosh-Gaussian (ChG) beams through an astigmatic lens is derived. The transformation and spatial shaping of partially coherent ChG beams through the astigmatic lens are studied and illustrated by numerical examples. It is shown that a suitable choice of the spatial coherence parameter and/or astigmatic coefficient, different beam profiles, such as Gaussian-like, flat-topped and bottle beam profiles, and beam profile with a central dip, at the geometric focal plane and at a certain plane are realizable.

Taking the Gaussian Schell-model pulsed (GSMP) beam as a typical example of spatially and spectrally partially coherent pulsed beams, an analytical expression for the far-field spectrum of diffracted GSMP beams in Young’s interference experiment is derived, and used to study the spectral shifts and spectral switches of GSMP beams in the far field. Numerical calculation results are given to illustrate the dependence of spectral shifts and spectral switches on the obscuration ratio e , temporal coherent length T c , spatial correlation parameter β and diffraction angle α . It is shown that the critical angle α c of the first- and second-order spectral switches moves away from the z axis with increasing T c , but α c of the third-order spectral switch moves towards the z axis with increasing T c . The spectral transition height Δ decreases and spectral minimum S min increases as T c increases. α c decreases, Δ increases and S min decreases as β increases. The potential application of spectral switches of spatially and spectrally partially coherent pulsed beams in information encoding and transmission is proposed.

Based on the generalized Rayleigh diffraction integral, the spectral shifts and spectral switches of nonparaxial partially coherent beams diffracted at an aperture are studied. Our main attention is paid to the effect of beam nonparaxiality on the spectral switches of partially coherent beams. It is shown that the spatial coherent parameter β, trunction parameter δ and waist width-to-central wavelength ratio w0/λ0 affect the behavior of spectral switches. Only when β, δ and w0/λ0 satisfy certain conditions, can the difference between the nonparaxial and paraxial results be negligible. The discrepancy arises physically from the change of the spectral modifier by using the paraxial approximation.

Starting from the Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction integral and without invoking the paraxial approximation, analytical expressions for the field distribution, far-field power spectrum and temporal far-field distribution of chirped Gaussian pulses diffracted at a circular aperture are derived, which enables us to study the spectral anomalous behavior of diffracted chirped Gaussian pulses in the far field. The potential applications of spectral anomalies of ultrashort pulses are discussed. It is found that at the critical angle the spectral switch appears. The frequency difference between the two equal heights of spectral switches increases and the corresponding critical diffraction angle slightly increases as the chirp parameter increases and pulse duration decreases. In a certain region of the truncation parameter, the critical angle decreases with increasing truncation parameter. By suitably varying the pulse duration, chirp parameter and truncation parameter, information encoding and transmission are achievable in the use of chirped Gaussian pulses.

Taking the polychromatic Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) beam as a typical example of spatially partially coherent polychromatic beams, the spreading of polychromatic GSM beams in atmospheric turbulence is studied. The mean-squared width of polychromatic GSM beams in turbulence is derived by using the effective source and the strong fluctuation models. It is shown that the same result is obtained using both the models. The diffraction, atmospheric turbulence and beam polychroism result in a spreading of polychromatic GSM beams. If the scaling law fails, the spreading of polychromatic GSM beams increases with increasing bandwidth Γ, but the influence of Γ on the spreading of polychromatic GSM beams becomes small as the structure constant Cn2 of the refractive index and spatial correlation parameter α increase. The spreading of polychromatic GSM beams increases as Cn2 increases and α decreases. Spatially partially coherent polychromatic beams are less sensitive to the effects of atmospheric turbulence than spatially fully coherent polychromatic beams.

The composite coherence vortices by coherently and incoherently superimposing two parallel, off-axis partially coherent vortex beams and their evolution in free space are studied. It is shown that the superposition scheme, off-axis distance, coherence parameter and propagation distance affect the position and number of composite coherence vortices. The motion, creation and annihilation of composite coherence vortices appear by varying the off-axis distance, coherence parameter and propagation distance. The coherent and incoherent superpositions result in the different position and number of composite coherence vortices and their different evolution behavior in the coherent limit.

The composite optical vortices (OVs) formed by superimposing two parallel, noncollinear cosh-Gaussian (ChG) vortex beams at the waist plane and their propagation in free space are studied. The dependence of the number, position and net topological charge of composite OVs on the control parameter, such as the relative phase, amplitude ratio, waist-width ratio, relative off-axis distance and decentered parameter, and on the propagation distance is illustrated numerically. A comparison with the previous work is also made.

Starting from the propagation law of partially coherent light, the on-axis spectral shifts and spectral switches of Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) beams focused by an astigmatic aperture lens are studied. It is shown that, as compared with an aberration-free case whose spectral shifts and spectral switches are induced by spatial correlation and aperture diffraction, the spectral shifts and spectral switches of GSM beams also depend upon the astigmatism of the lens for an astigmatism case. Detailed numerical calculations are made to illustrate the behavior of spectral shifts and spectral switches of GSM beams focused by an astigmatic aperture lens.

Starting from the Huygens–Fresnel diffraction integral, the analytical expression for the power spectrum of pulsed Bessel beams focused by a dispersive aperture lens is derived and used to study the spectral anomalies of pulsed Bessel beams in the focused field. Numerical calculation results are given to illustrate the dependence of spectral anomalous behavior on the pulse parameters, truncation parameter and material dispersion of the lens. It is shown that near the phase singularities the spectral anomalies may take place. The potential applications of spectral anomalies of ultrashort pulsed beams in information encoding and information transmission are considered.

Within the framework of the paraxial approximation, a simple Fourier lens system has been proposed and a series of finite Gaussian modes with different parameters is chosen as the desired field function in place of the rectangular function to construct on-axis flat-top beams. The analytical expressions for the incident field and output on-axis field are derived. The on-axis flat-top intensity distribution is achievable after passage through the lens so long as LS c ≥ 1.5, where L is a measure of the flat-top length of the desired field function and S c is the central longitudinal spatial frequency. Within the region of the on-axis flat top the radial intensity distribution is similar to that of J 0-Bessel beams. The results are illustrated by numerical examples and compared with the previous work.

Taking the partially coherent cosh-Gaussian beam (ChG) as an illustrative example, the far-field divergence angle and directionality of partially coherent beams are studied. There are three competing physical mechanisms, i.e., the spatial coherence, diffraction and decentration, which affect the far-field divergence angle of partially coherent ChG beams. Two partially coherent ChG beams may generate the same far-field divergence angle, and partially coherent ChG beams may also have the same far-field divergence angle as a fully coherent ChG beam or as a fully coherent Gaussian laser beam if the three physical mechanisms are appropriately balanced. The consistency of the directionality of partially coherent beams expressed in terms of the far-field divergence angle and in terms of the far-field radiant intensity distribution is examined. Generally, two partially coherent beams with the same far-field divergence angle have not certainly the same far-field radiant intensity distribution. However, under certain conditions, it is possible to achieve the consistency of the directionality expressed in terms of the far-field divergence angle and of the normalized far-field radiant intensity distribution.