Analysis of volume holographic cylindrical lenses

Two-dimensional coupled-wave theory is used to analyze a volume holographic lens for conversion of plane waves into cylindrical waves at fixed frequency. The full two-dimensional solution is found to give good agreement with localized use of one-dimensional theory over a wide range of conditions. It is found that high on-Bragg efficiencies may be achieved if the thickness–focal-length ratio of the lens is small and the recording and reconstructing waves are slowly varying and that reduction in output over the lens surface under off-Bragg conditions is nonuniform.