ABCD matrix formalism for concave mirror

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on calculating the ABCD matrix for a thick concave mirror, particularly in the context of a Fabry Perot cavity where light enters from the plane side of the mirror. Participants explore the implications of the mirror's properties, including its thickness, index of refraction, and the effect of coatings on reflectivity.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes a method to calculate the ABCD matrix by treating the mirror as a thick slab with a specific index of refraction and thickness, combined with a concave lens model.
  • Another participant questions the relevance of the mirror in the context of light entering the cavity, suggesting that the focus should be on the light that passes through the mirror.
  • A later reply emphasizes the importance of matching the laser beam's parameters before and after passing through the mirror, arguing that the mirror does affect these parameters.
  • Participants discuss the nature of the mirror's coating, with questions about whether the reflectivity is consistent on both sides of the curvature and how this affects ray tracing.
  • One participant expresses uncertainty about the appropriateness of using the ABCD matrix for problems involving coatings and reflections, suggesting that the situation may be more complex than initially considered.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relevance of the mirror's properties and the appropriateness of the ABCD matrix for the problem at hand. There is no consensus on the best approach to take regarding the calculations or the implications of the mirror's coating.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations in their understanding of how coatings affect reflectivity and the behavior of light, particularly in relation to the angle of incidence and the resulting intensity distribution.

kelly0303
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Hello! I need to calculate the ABCD matrix for a thick concave mirror, in the situation in which the light comes from the plane side of the mirror, and it is the concave part that is coated (for reference, I have a Fabry Perot cavity with 2 concave mirrors, and I want to mode match the laser coming from outside). The mirror has a radius of curvature R, a thickness d and an index of refraction n. The way I was thinking to do it, was to treat the mirror as a thick slab of index of refraction n and thickness d, which has the ABCD matrix:
$$
\begin{pmatrix}
1 & d/n\\
0 & 1
\end{pmatrix}
$$
plus a concave lens of focal length ##-R/2##, with R here being positive, so f being negative (I assumed it is concave, as the light coming from the direction I need here would diverge upon reflection) which has the ABCD matrix:
$$
\begin{pmatrix}
1 & 0\\
2/R & 1
\end{pmatrix}
$$
Overall, the total ABCD matrix would be:
$$
\begin{pmatrix}
1 & 0\\
2/R & 1
\end{pmatrix} \times
\begin{pmatrix}
1 & d/n\\
0 & 1
\end{pmatrix} =
\begin{pmatrix}
1 & d/n\\
2/R & 1+\frac{2d}{nR}
\end{pmatrix}
$$
Is this right? Can someone tell me how to fix it, in case it is wrong? Thank you!
 
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DaveE said:
Just to clarify your question. Since you are only interested in the light that enters the cavity, the mirror is irrelevant, you only care about the light that gets through it. Is that correct?

If so isn't this just a thick lens model?

This guys web page looks useful, in either case:
https://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/beyersdorf/Archive/Phys158F06/10-12 Thick Lenses and the ABCD formalism.pdf
I am not sure what you mean. The laser light (assuming a gaussian beam profile) has a given radius and waist outside the cavity, and a different one inside the cavity. In order to get the full power amplification inside the cavity, I need to match the radius and waist of the laser after it passes through the thick mirror (from outside to inside the cavity) with the radius and waist of the beam that is developing inside the cavity. The mirror does changes these parameters of the laser beam from outside to inside. Why would it be irrelevant?
 
kelly0303 said:
Why would it be irrelevant?
I just meant the partially reflective coating.
 
DaveE said:
I just meant the partially reflective coating.
I am actually not sure how coating works. The mirror is coated on the concave part, and it has a reflectivity R. Is the reflectivity on the other side on the curvature also R or that is acting just like a piece of glass, without any reflection?
 
kelly0303 said:
I am actually not sure how coating works. The mirror is coated on the concave part, and it has a reflectivity R. Is the reflectivity on the other side on the curvature also R or that is acting just like a piece of glass, without any reflection?
I wouldn't think it matters from a ray tracing perspective. Either the ray gets through, or it doesn't. Then you want to do the matching for the ones that get through.

Even if the coating is sensitive to the angle of incidence (like a Bragg reflector), it will change the probability distribution (or intensity) for each ray, but not the position or angle. So I don't think a simple ABCD matrix is the right tool for those problems. However, this is way beyond my knowledge of optics.
 

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