Extending Gaussian Beam Descriptions by Complex-Source Beam Solutions

A hybridization of paraxial Gaussian beam shooting based on frame decomposition of source fields, and Complex Source beam solutions of diffraction problems is presented and numerically tested for the canonical problem of diffraction through a slit in a perfectly conducting plane. This new approach aims at combining the rigor and completeness of frame decomposition, the computational efficiency of Gaussian beam shooting, and the suitability of Complex-Source beams to obtain accurate solutions for diffraction problems.