Spectral dispersion modeling of virtually imaged phased array by using angular spectrum of plane waves

We present an analytical treatment for the relatively new spectral disperser termed virtually imaged phased array (VIPA). Angular spectrum representation of the input Gaussian beam helps us obtain an exact analytic dispersion model and a dispersion law for a general VIPA by using the principle of multiple-beam interference. The consideration of the optical aberrations caused by refractions makes our model more accurate and practical than previous models. The validity of the proposed dispersion law has been validated theoretically by comparing with previous results. Some considerations of using a VIPA are also provided.