Gaussian optical beam propagation in thermal wave field – the ray theory, the complex ray theory and experimental results

Abstract

The comparison of the ray theory, the complex ray theory with the experimental results was studied in the work. The least-squares procedure was used in multiparameter fitting of experimental data and theoretical result. Some parameters of experimental setup were also determined. There was proved in the work that the complex ray theory better describes the experimental results than the ray theory. Moreover, the complex ray theory takes into account some effects that do not occur in the ray theory at all.