Fourth order correction to a paraxial Gaussian beam in a rotationally symmetric system of non-spherical surfaces

We formulate the fourth order correction to a paraxial Gaussian beam propagating through a non-spherical surface system that is rotationally symmetric. First we represent the Gaussian beam by a complex-source-point spherical wave (CSPSW). Next we examine the evolution of the CSPSW through the non-spherical surface system by applying a Fresnel–Kirchhoff diffraction integral. We find a ray-optical solution to the diffraction integral in terms of both the conic constant and the aspheric coefficient of fourth order. Then we numerically evaluate the quality factor of the fourth order-corrected beam propagating through either an aspheric mirror or a thin lens made up of two non-spherical surfaces. The fourth order formulas derived here can be useful in determining the quality factor of the Gaussian beam degraded by a rotationally symmetric system of non-spherical surfaces.