Optical resonators with Gaussian reflectivity mirrors: misalignment sensitivity.

An analytical solution to the problem of the misaligned optical resonator with a Gaussian reflectivity mirror is presented. It is shown that the fundamental mode of such a resonator remains a Gaussian beam which propagates along a tilted axis in the misalignment plane. The exact analytical solution yields simple expressions that characterize the misalignment sensitivity of the resonator by giving the beam-steering angle and the loss variations.

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