Wide angle near-field diffraction and Wigner distribution

Abstract

Free-space propagation can be described as a shearing of the Wigner distribution function in the spatial coordinate; this shearing is linear in paraxial approximation but assumes a more complex shape for wide-angle propagation. Integration in the frequency domain allows the determination of near-field diffraction, leading to the well known Fresnel diffraction when small angles are considered and allowing exact prediction of wide-angle diffraction. The authors use this technique to demonstrate evanescent wave formation and diffraction elimination for very small apertures.