Description of Bessel beams in the generalized

Lorenz-Mie theory with finite series and its

inequivalence with quadrature techniques
1st Leonardo A. Ambrosio 2nd Gérard Gouesbet
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering CORIA-UMR 6614- Normandie Université, CNRS-Université
EESC - University of São Paulo et INSA de Rouen, Campus Universitaire du Madrillet
São Carlos, Brazil Saint-Etienne-du Rouvray, France
leo@sc.usp.br gouesbet@coria.fr

Abstract—In the context of the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory, since numerical artifacts have been thoroughly excluded [3],
the finite series emerged as an exact and analytical fast computing there was an expectation that this blowing-up would have its
technique in the description of arbitrary shaped beams. It should origins in the nonvector description of the beam, since both
be mathematically equivalent to the exact but otherwise time
consuming quadrature (double or triple integration) schemes, at Gaussian and Laguerre-Gauss beams are scalar beams under
least for vector beams satisfying Maxwell equations. This work the paraxial approximation and because both quadrature and
m m
is a warning against such an equivalence and deals with a simple FS presented such a behavior in gn,T E and gn,T M .
and instructive case of an on-axis Bessel beam, for which such an This work intends to shed some light into the origins of
equivalence is lost even for vector beams. Results indicate that
such indiscriminate growing of the BSCs in the sense that it
the blowing-up of the well-known “beam shape coefficients” still
occurs, whereas quadrature schemes can be resolved analytically excludes the paraxiality as its intimate cause. But it also poses
and without such issues. It is then concluded that differences additional questions that deserves to be adequately addressed
between the two approaches may not, however, have significant elsewhere, for instance, whether this behavior is really a
implications in the calculation of physical quantities of interest. matter of concern, since the full description of arbitrary shaped
Index Terms—component, formatting, style, styling, insert
beams in the framework of the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory
m m
(GLMT) still includes multiplication of gn,T E and gn,T M by
I. I NTRODUCTION
factors and spherical functions dependent on n and m.
One of the biggest efforts during the last four decades, in the To do so, we adopt a class of beams whose BSCs can be
description of arbitrary shaped beam as a theoretical extension easily and analytically derived, viz., scalar and vector Bessel
of the Mie theory, has been the development of analytical and beams (BBs). First, the BSCs for a scalar BB are derived
exact methods for an efficient description of the beam shape using the FS method. Divergences are observed. Then, we
coefficients (BSCs), which are the coefficients of expansions consider a vector BB whose exact and analytical BSCs are
of the EM field components in terms of spherical special known [6], excluding quadratures or numerical integrations
functions [1]–[3]. Of all such methods, the Finite Series (FS) and with values which do not present blowing-up issues. It
technique is the least known [4], and has been exclusively is shown that, even in this latter case of a beam satisfying
applied for Davis-type Gaussian beams until last year, when Maxwell’s equations, the FS technique still presents BSCs
introduced to evaluate the BSCs of Laguerre-Gauss beams [5]. which grows indiscrimately as n increases, which discards
It has been observed, for both Gaussian and Laguerre- the paraxial approximation as the cause of such divergences.
m
Gauss beams, divergences in the TE and TM BSCs, gn,T E Finally, our conclusions are presented.
m
and gn,T M , as n increases (n ≥ 1, −n ≤ m ≤ n) [3],
[5]. In [5], it is stressed that “Relying on our experience II. T HE FS T ECHNIQUE FOR B ESSEL B EAMS
concerning paraxial Gaussian beams, either using finite series
m m
([3], pp. 164-171) or quadratures [8], the non-Maxwellian In the GLMT, the BSCs gn,T M and gn,T E are derived
character of the paraxial beam should be reflected by a from the radial field components, which read in spherical
blowing-up of BSCs values for high-order partial waves. These coordinates (r, θ, ϕ) as [3]:
faulty BSCs could be set to zero or they would have no
consequence because they would appear for partial waves ∞ X +n
(−i)n
   X
which, in any case, convey vanishing amplitudes.”. Therefore, Er E0
= (2n + 1)
Hr H0 ikr
n=1 m=−n (1)
The author thanks FAPESP (São Paulo Research Foundaton, 2017/10445-0)  m 
and CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, gn,T M |m|
426990/2018-8 and 307898/2018-0) for supporting this work.
× m Ψ(1)
n (kr)Pn (cos θ)e
imϕ
gn,T E
 (1)
In (1), k is the wave number in the host medium, Ψn (.) This expansion determines the bn ’s which, once substituted in
|m| v±1
are the first-order spherical Bessel functions and Pn (.) the (3) and from the relation obtained in (v) between cn , gn,T M
v±1
associated Legendre functions (see, e.g., Refs. [3] for details and gn,T E , gives the final expressions for the BSCs.
on conventions). The quadrature method relies on orthogonal- Although a similar procedure could be performed for TE
(1)
ity conditions of Ψn (.), Pnm (.) and exp(imφ) in order to BSCs, it is easier to use the well stablished symmetry relations
m m v±1 v±1
isolate gn,T M and gn,T E , thus leading to triple (or double) gn,T M = ±ign,T E (v ≥ 0) [3], [5]. Therefore, in what follows
integrations [3]). we shall only quote the results for TM BSCs.
The FS method is based on the Neumann expansion theorem For the scalar BBs here considered, the final expressions
procedure, or “NET” procedure for brevity. It considers an for the TM BSCs are then written as
expansion of x1/2 g(x) in the form

≤n/2
in+1 n−v−1 1


∞
v+1 ! X Γ +n−j
gn,T = v+1 2
(−1)n−j 2
X
x1/2 g(x) = cn Jn+1/2 (x), (2) M
2 Γ n+v+2


j!
2 j=0
n=0 (5)
n−2j−1
where Jn+1/2 (.) are half-order Bessel functions of the first (sin α)
× (n − 2j; v) n−v−1
n+v+1

,
kind and g(x) a function which can be expanded in a Maclau- 2 − j !Γ 2 −j
rin series,

≤n/2
in+1 n−v+1 1


∞ v−1 ! X Γ +n−j
X gn,T = v−1 2
(−1)n−j−1 2
g(x) = bn x n . M n+v


(3) 2 Γ 2 j!
j=0 (6)
n=0
n−2j−1
(sin α)
The NET states there is a relation between (2) and (3) such × (n − 2j; v) n−v−1
n+v+1

,
that the coefficients cn are written in terms of bn as: 2 − j !Γ 2 −j

n−1

≤n/2 1


 ≤n/2 1
+n−j


−1 in+1 ! X Γ +n−j
(−1)n−j
 2 2
1 X 1 Γ gn,T =
cn = n+ 2 2 +n−2j 2
bn−2j , (4) M n


2 Γ 2 + 1 j=0 j!
2 j=0
j! (7)
n−2j−1
(sin α)
with Γ(.) being the gamma function. To determine the TM × (n − 2j; 0) n−1
n+1

,
BSCs from relations (2)–(4), the following steps are performed 2 − j !Γ 2 −j
[a time harmonic factor exp(+iωt), with ω being the angular for (n − v) odd, with analogous expressions for (n − v) even.
frequency, has been omitted throughout]: In (5)–(7), (i; v) = 0 for all i ≤ v, and 1 otherwise.
(i) The radial fields are written in terms of +z-propagating As observed for Gaussian and Laguerre-Gauss beams, the
scalar BBs, Er = ψ sin θ cos ϕ = E0 Jv (x sin α sin θ) presence of factorial and gamma functions in the expressions
× exp(ivϕ) exp(−ix cos α cos θ) sin θ cos ϕ, with x = kr and m m
of gn,T M and gn,T E may lead to numerical overflows (e.g., for
α being the axicon (half-cone) angle. Under the paraxial high n) if not treated adequately. To circumvent this problem,
approximation, ψ is equivalent to the x (transverse) component one first rewrite the factorials in terms of gamma functions
of the electric field, with Ey = Ez = 0; through the identity Γ(n) = (n − 1)!. Then, the gamma
(ii) One sets θ = π/2 in the resulting expression and uses functions are rewritten as Γ(n) = signΓ(n) exp[log Γ(n)].
algebraic relations for Pnm (0) [5], for (n−m) even [Pnm (0) = The same is done for (sin α)k . This makes the numerical
0 for (n − m) odd]; computations efficient and reliable.
(iii) One differenciates the resulting expression with respect A code has been written using the software Wolfram
to cos θ, sets θ = π/2 and then uses algebraic relations for Mathematica 11.2 Student Edition for evaluating (5)–(7). For
dPnm (cos θ)/d cos θ|θ=π/2 , for (n − m) odd; comparison, we have also implemented the BSCs calculated
(iv) The ϕ-dependence is removed from (1) by integrating using the well-known “localized approximation” (LA), which
both sides of it and using orthogonality relations for functions has been previously applied for arbitrary-order scalar BBs and
of the form exp(imϕ), with m an integer. During this process, exhaustively validated in recent years for small α’s (see Ref.
the only nonzero BSCs becomes those with m = v ± 1; [7] and references therein).
(v) In both cases (ii) and (iii), the left hand side, once As an example, consider v = 1, 2 and 5. In Figs. 1 to
v−1
integrated in ϕ and with the above θ-conditions, provides us 3 the TM BSCs gn,T M are plotted as a function of n for
◦
with an expression equivalent to the left hand side of (2) – α = 10 . Notice that a good agreement has been achieved
and, therefore, of g(x) –, whereas the right hand side provides between FS and LA BSCs, at least up to a certain n, above
us with an equivalent of the right hand side of (2), thus which the divergence of the BSCs calculated from the FS is
establishing a direct relation between cn and the BSCs; clearly observed.
(vi) The g(x)’s of (v) are then expanded in terms of a If such divergences were the consequence of the scalar or
Maclaurin series. This is easy for the Bessel functions, since paraxial nature of the adopted beam, then the analysis of the
they are already given in terms of an infinite power series. exact BSCs of a corresponding vector BB using FS would
reveal the absence of such effects. That has been pointed out,
for instance, in [5], in the sense that, since a scalar beam is
not a true Maxwellian beam, this fact should be reflected by
a blowing-up of the BSCs, as seen in Figs. 1 to 3.
So, let us consider a true vector BB which under the paraxial
regime could approximately be written as the scalar BB
previously assumed. Therefore, we take a x linearly polarized
BB with an electric field E = x̂Ex + ẑEz , where Ex = ψ and
Ez is found from Gauss law without sources, ∇ · E = 0.
Now, consider the TM BSCs for (n − v) odd given in (5)-
(7). Let us remember they have been calculated from the radial
electric field component, which can now be expressed as Er =
ψ sin θ cos ϕ + Ez cos θ. From item (iii) one sets θ = π/2
before integrating over ϕ. But this reduces this new Er to the Fig. 2. Same as Fig. 1, now for v = 2.
old one, thus leading to a full equivalence between these BSCs
of both scalar and vector BBs. Since there is an intrinsic and
indiscriminate growing of those coefficients as n increases, it
can be concluded that the divergences observed in Figs. 1 to
3 are part of the essence of the FS approach and should be
treated as a natural and expected characteristic of it.
One could then argue that this effect does not correspond
to anything physical at all, which is true. However, it must be
emphasized that, even though it is the BSCs the responsible
for describing the spatial field pattern of the arbitrary shaped
beam, from (1) it is clear that this blowing-up effect can be
compensated by a faster decay of factors and special functions.
This has been the case of Gaussian beams [see, e.g., Eq.
(6.167) of [3] and subsequent comments].
Fig. 3. Same as Fig. 1, now for v = 5.

the spatial field content is contained in these coefficients, there

must be a natural compensation provided by additional factors
and special functions which appear in the field expansions in
the framework of the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory. In the
end, it may simply be that a separate investigation of these
coefficients is not recommended in the case of finite series.
R EFERENCES
[1] J. A. Lock, and G. Gouesbet, “Generalized Lorenz-Mie theory and
applications,” J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, vol. 110, 800–807,
July 2009.
[2] G. Gouesbet, “Generalized Lorenz-Mie theories, the third decade: A
  perspective,” J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, vol. 110, 1223–
 v−1  ◦ 1238, September 2009.
Fig. 1. gn,T M  (blue solid) as a function of n, for v = 1 and α = 10 ,
according to (6). The dotted red curve corresponds to the LA BSCs [7].
III. C ONCLUSION
It has been shown here, through a simple but ellucidative
example, that the blowing-up of the beam shape coefficients
calculated with the finite series method is not a particular
feature associated to the paraxial or scalar nature of the
adopted beam. In fact, the TM beam shape coefficients of a
scalar beam in the finite series approach may be the same as
those of a linearly polarized (therefore, a vector) Bessel beam.
The conclusion, which must necessarily be complemented by
numerical evaluation of the physical fields, is that, even though
[3] G. Gouesbet, and G. Gréhan. Generalized Lorenz-Mie theories, 2nd ed.
Springer International Publishing AG, 2017.
[4] G. Gouesbet, G. Gréhan, and B. Maheu, “Expressions to compute
the coefficients gnm in the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory using finite
series,” J. Opt. (Paris), vol. 19, 35–48, January 1988.
[5] G. Gouesbet, L. F. M. Votto, and L. A. Ambrosio, “Finite series
expressions to evaluate the beam shape coefficients of a Laguerre-
Gauss beam freely propagating,” J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer,
vol. 227, 12–19, April 2019.
[6] L. A. Ambrosio, M. Zamboni-Rached, and G. Gouesbet, “Discrete vec-
tor frozen waves in generalized Lorenz-Mie theory: linear, azimuthal,
and radial polarizations,” Appl. Opt., vol. 57, 3293–3300, April 2018.
[7] L. A. Ambrosio, L. F. M. Votto, G. Gouesbet, and J. J. Wang,
“Assessing the validity of the localized approximation for discrete
superpositions of Bessel beams,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, vol. 35, 2690–
2698, November 2018.