Abstract
A further comparison between flattened Gaussian beams (FGBs) and super-Gaussian beams (SGBs) is performed. It is shown that the two FGB and SGB having the same beam propagation factor (M2−factor) but different waist widths demonstrate a similar irradiance profile at the position of the equal generalized Fresnel number, while they propagate through a paraxial ABCD system. Furthermore, the focusing by a spherically aberrated lens is studied, and nearly the same propagation characteristics are achieved for the two FGB and SGB with the same M2−factor and waist width.