The Darwin procedure in optics of layered media and the matrix theory

The Darwin dynamical theory of diffraction for two beams yields a nonhomogeneous system of linear algebraic equations with a tridiagonal matrix. It is shown that different formulae of the two-beam Darwin theory can be obtained by a uniform view of the basic properties of tridiagonal matrices, their determinants (continuants) and their close relationship to continued fractions and difference equations. Some remarks concerning the relation of the Darwin theory in the three-beam case to tridiagonal block matrices are also presented.