Abstract

An improved evaluation of nonspecular effects associated with the reflection of Gaussian beams from stratified dielectric media is described. These effects are derived by examining the angular spectrum of the reflected beam rather than its spatial form and by using expansions that are more accurate than those in previous derivations. The results show that, for beams having waist-to-wavelength ratios w/λ > 10, the four previously known nonspecular effects (lateral, focal, and angular beam shifts and beam-waist modification) are changed only slightly, but substantial differences appear in the lateral and angular beam shifts for ratios w/λ < 10. In addition, we find that the magnitude of the reflected-beam peak can be quite different from that given by geometric-optical considerations.

© 1990 Optical Society of America

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