Propagation analysis of phase-induced amplitude apodization optics based on boundary wave diffraction theory

Phase-induced amplitude apodization (PIAA) is a promising technique in high contrast coronagraphs due to the characteristics of high efficiency and small inner working angle. In this letter, we present a new method for calculating the diffraction effects in PIAA coronagraphs based on boundary wave diffraction theory. We propose a numerical propagator in an azimuth boundary integral form, and then delve into its analytical propagator using stationary phase approximation. This propagator has straightforward physical meaning and obvious advantage on calculating efficiency, compared with former methods based on numerical integral or angular spectrum propagation method. Using this propagator, we can make a more direct explanation to the significant impact of pre-apodizer. This propagator can also be used to calculate the aberration propagation properties of PIAA optics. The calculating is also simplified since the decomposing procedure is not needed regardless of the form of the aberration. (C) 2017 Optical Society of America