Focusing and diffraction by an optical lens and a small circular aperture

Based on the vectorial Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction integrals, analytical expressions for the transversal and axial field distribution of plane waves propagating through a thin lens followed by a small circular aperture are derived and used to study the focusing and diffraction properties of plane waves. Some special cases of our general result are discussed, and illustrative numerical calculation results are given. It is found that the vectorial nonparaxial approach should be applied if the aperture dimension is comparable with the wavelength or the focusing is strong. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.