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Path of a beam of light through an optical coating
Karen D Hendrix1, C K Carniglia
1JDSU, Santa Rosa, California 95407, USA. karen.hendrix@jdsu.com
Abstract:
A simple model for the path of a light beam through an optical coating is the path of a ray predicted by Snell's law. By determining the exit point of a beam for various types of coating, one finds that the simple model is a good approximation in the case of antireflection coatings, but not for coatings of other designs. An approximate method for determining the correct path of a beam through the coating is derived and the path is illustrated using a Gaussian incident beam and tracing the position of the peak field of the beam as it traverses the coating.
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