Propagation of electromagnetic waves inside a GRIN medium is studied in this chapter. Section 2.1 starts with Maxwell’s equations and uses them to derive a wave equation in the frequency domain. A mode based technique is used in Section 2.2 for solving the wave equation for a GRIN device fabricated with a parabolic index profile. The properties of both the Hermite’Gauss and the Laguerre-Gauss modes are discussed. Section 2.3 is devoted to other power-law index profiles and employs the Wentzel-Kramers Brillouin method to discuss the properties of modes supported by them. We discuss in Section 2.4 the relative efficiency with which different modes are excited by an optical beam incident on a GRIN medium. The intermodal dispersive effects that become important for pulsed beams are also covered. Section 2.5 describes several non-modal techniques that can be used for studying wave propagation in GRIN media.

The focus of this chapter is on focusing and self-imaging of optical beams occurring in a graded-index rod. Section 3.1 provides a geometrical-optics perspective and shows why optical rays follow a curved path inside a GRIN medium. The modes of such a medium are used in Section 3.2 to find a propagation kernel and use it discuss the phenomenon of self-imaging. Section 3.3 is devoted to studying how a GRIN rod can be used as a flat lens to focus an incoming optical beam. Imaging characteristics of such a lens are also considered in this section. Several important applications of GRIN devices are discussed in Section 3.4.