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Rayleigh Range

Last modified by
on
Jul 25, 2023, 12:27:18 PM
Created by
on
Jun 24, 2016, 9:03:42 PM
zR=π⋅w20λzR=π⋅w20λ
(w0)The beam waist(w0)The beam waist
(λ)The wavelength(λ)The wavelength
Tags
Physics Optics Electromagnetics Laser Gaussian Beam
UUID
21c6aba5-3a4f-11e6-9770-bc764e2038f2

The Rayleigh Range calculator computes the distance (zR) along the propagation direction of a beam from the waist to the place where the area of the cross section is doubled.

INSTRUCTIONS:  Choose units and enter the following:

  • (λ)  This is the wavelength
  • (w0) This is the beam waist

Rayleigh Range (zR): The calculator returns the range in millimeters.  However, this can be automatically converted to other length units via the pull-down menu.

The Math / Science

The Rayleigh Range  equation1 calculates the Rayleigh range (zRzR) for a Gaussian Beam.  The Rayleigh range is used as an indicator of how quickly the beam spreads as it travels.  A low Rayleigh Range means the beam is spreading more.  For more information on Rayleigh range and Gaussian Beams in general, please see the Gaussian Beam Calculator.

Gaussian Beam Calculators

  1. ^ Hecht, Eugene. "Modern Optics: Lasers and Other Topics." Optics. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 2002. 618. Print.
This equation, Rayleigh Range, is used in 2 pages
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