Effect of vectorial nature on spectral anomalies of ultrashort pulsed beams from a hard-edged aperture

Based on the vectorial Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction integrals, the analytical expression for the spectral intensity of a vectorial nonparaxial ultrashort pulsed Gaussian beam diffracted at a rectangular hard-aperture is derived. The results of the far-field and paraxial cases can be regarded as special cases of the general expression. Effect of vectorial nature on spectral anomalies of ultrashort pulsed beams passing through a hard-edged aperture is analyzed in detail. It is shown that the spectral switch near the phase singularity, which is predicated under the condition of the scalar paraxial theory, disappears with the increasing effect of the vectorial and nonparaxial nature.