Determining wave-optics mesh parameters for complex optical systems

In prior work we introduced a method of choosing mesh parameters for a single wave-optics propagation between two effective apertures. Unfortunately, most systems that require wave-optics modeling, like modeling laser resonators with gain media, propagations through the atmosphere, and imaging systems with internal limiting apertures, have multiple apertures and phase screens that induce diffraction. We begin here by augmenting the single propagation theory to include diffraction from both apertures and phase aberrations. We then introduce a technique for analyzing complex systems of simple optics to determine the appropriate wave-optics mesh parameters.