Modeling optical emission from a highly multi-mode step-index fiber via ray tracing and the limitations

Geometric optics is widely applied for diverse optical simulations. In this work, we introduce an incoherent ray model to describe the laser beam radiation emitted from a highly multi-mode step-index fiber, which is frequently applied for industrial laser material processing. First the mathematical validation and the limitation of this model are demonstrated. Then we determine the ray density and the angular spectrum according to measured intensity profiles along the caustic. Furthermore, based on the determined information, we demonstrate the simulation and measurement of the laser beam shaped by an axicon telescope. Not only the reconstruction itself, but also the simulation with free form optics present significant agreements to the measurements. The reasonable modeling of a laser source via geometric optics enables the precise determination of laser radiation and propagation properties with refractive beam shaping technologies.