Component, e.g. Fabry-Perot interferometer, with internal multiple reflections plays an important role in laser technology. Its optical functionality is based on multiple reflections inside the component and the interference effect. In this paper, two electromagnetic concepts that allow the modeling of such components for general incident light are proposed. The first one is based on an iterative field tracing approach. With this approach multiple reflections through and inside the component are handled respectively. One typical example is the simulation of Newton’s rings effect or the modeling of an Etalon with thickness variation because of fabrication tolerances. The other one is based on the matrix method for stratified media, which is usually used to handle optical layer systems Fabry-Perot interferometer. We present the details, demonstrate various examples and also discuss sampling issues due to the internal multiple reflections.

Date Published: 20 February 2015
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 9346, Components and Packaging for Laser Systems, 934616 (20 February 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2079562

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9346:
Components and Packaging for Laser Systems
Alexei L. Glebov; Paul O. Leisher, Editor(s)