Theoretical modeling of the divergence of a flat-topped beam from a two-stage beam shaper into a conical intensity profile after propagation in free space

In this article, a two-stage beam shaping device based on a plastic fiber-bundle prism duct coupled waveguide is theoretically and experimentally described. ZEMAX software is used to simulate and investigate the divergence phenomenon on the beam shape outputted and the radiance profiles in both position and angle space. The effect of prism's geometrical structure on the beam divergence is also investigated and the optimum geometric conditions are reported. According to the theoretical results, due to an asymmetrical divergence effect the beam's cross section is increased with distance by a variable aspect ratio. The results also show that propagation in free space transformed a square beam with a flat-top intensity distribution into a rectangular beam with a conical intensity distribution. For experimental study, an imaging technique is applied to investigate the beam's output images and intensity profiles. A source light is used to illuminate the optical beam shaping elements of the reported design. Digital photographs of the beam's output for different axial distances are taken by a camera and the image data is converted into a response curve for comparison with the simulated image profiles. The obtained experimental results are strongly in agreement with the theoretical ones.