GENERALIZED ABCD MATRIX OF THIN PURE-PHASE TRANSMITTANCES - APPLICATION TO THICK SPHERICALLY-ABERRATED LENSES

The behaviour of thin pure phase transmittances is represented by mean s of a generalized matrix, M, which can be handled as the ABCD-matrice s associated with ordinary first-order optical systems. This formalism enables the application of generalized ABCD propagation formulae to c ascaded optical systems containing pure phase transmittances. Matrix M is applied to thin and thick spherically aberrated lenses. In additio n, the beam quality parameter of an incident Gaussian beam at the outp ut plane of such lenses is investigated.