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Rayleigh Length Calculator

Formula

The formula to calculate the Rayleigh Length (Zr) is:

$Zr = \frac{\pi \cdot w^2}{\lambda}$

Where:

(Zr) is the Rayleigh Length (mm)
(w) is the beam waist (mm)
(λ) is the wavelength (mm)

What is Rayleigh Length?

The Rayleigh Length is the distance along the propagation direction of a beam from the beam waist to the place where the area of the cross-section is doubled. It is a measure of how quickly a beam diverges.

Example Calculation

Let's assume the following values:

Beam Waist (w) = 1 mm
Wavelength (λ) = 0.5 mm

Using the formula:

$Zr = \frac{\pi \cdot 1^2}{0.5} \approx 6.28 \text{ mm}$

The Rayleigh Length (Zr) is approximately 6.28 mm.