Ray tracing and scalar diffraction calculations of wavefronts, caustics and complex amplitudes in optical systems

Abstract

The procedures for precise calculation of wavefronts, caustics and complex amplitudes in optical systems are developed. Numerical methods are compared with analytical formulae for caustics. The conditions for the validity of the integration on wavefronts for obtaining the complex amplitudes (and hence intensities defining the PSFs) within scalar diffraction theory are discussed in detail. To illustrate the precision of the results obtained with the developed techniques, an experiment showing quite unexpected results is studied and explained in detail.