On the validity of localized approximation for an on-axis zeroth-order Bessel beam

Localized approximation procedures are efficient ways to evaluate beam shape coefficients of laser beams, and are particularly useful when other methods are ineffective or inefficient. Several papers in the literature have reported the use of such procedures to evaluate the beam shape coefficients of Bessel beams. Examining the specific case of an on-axis zeroth-order Bessel beam, we demonstrate that localized approximation procedures are valid only for small axicon angles. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.