Complex order fractional Fourier transforms and their use in diffraction theory. Application to optical resonators

The electromagnetic field transfer by diffraction from a spherical emitter to a spherical receiver is expressed by a fractional Fourier transform whose order depends on the distance between the emitter and the receiver and their curvature radii. Special attention is paid to complex order transforms: scaled variables and scaled field amplitudes are defined by complying with mathematical consistency. For a given distance of observation, a simple geometrical condition is set up to determine whether the corresponding transform order is a real or a complex number. The result is applied to check the stability of optical resonators.