Wiki
A searchable home for the optics notes behind the calculator: formulas, propagation rules, design patterns, and worked laser layout examples.
Gaussian beam equations: from TEM₀₀ field to lens focusing
A connected derivation from field amplitude to intensity, beam radius, Rayleigh range, q parameter, ABCD propagation, and the Gaussian thin-lens transform.
Open pageF-number and numerical aperture for Gaussian beams
How the illuminated beam diameter sets effective f-number and NA, why a lens's clear aperture can be misleading, and when the paraxial design rule applies.
Open pageM² beam quality: meaning and measurement
What M² says about divergence and focusability, how to interpret its value, and how to obtain it from a standards-based beam-caustic measurement.
Open pageLaser beam expander design: Galilean and Keplerian telescopes
How to choose and space two-lens beam expanders, compare Galilean and Keplerian layouts, and open a worked 852 nm fiber example in the calculator.
Open pageChoosing the shortest practical Galilean or Keplerian beam expander
A compact design trick: choose the largest acceptable internal ray angle, then calculate focal lengths and spacing for the shortest useful telescope.
Open pageDiffBeam MCP for Gaussian beam optics
How compatible AI clients can use DiffBeam's read-only catalog MCP and capability-bound live workspace bridge without model coupling.
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