Limiting the incident angle of a corner cube reflector applied in the laser

A corner cube retroreflector (CCR) laser boasts an exceptional anti-misalignment property, and the limiting incident angle of the CCR determines its anti-misalignment capabilities. To facilitate an efficient analysis of the limiting incident angle of a CCR, we present an analytical expression for its three side reflection angles. Subsequently, we analyze the anti-misalignment limiting incident angle of the CCR, considering its bottom surface shape and refractive index. Theoretical analysis and simulation results indicate that when the refractive index (n₁) ≥ 1.22, the larger the value of n₁, the larger the limiting incident angle. When n₁ ≥ 2.175, the refractive index is no longer a limiting factor for the limiting incident angle. Furthermore, for the bottom surface shape of the CCR, the smaller the height–radius ratio of the CCR, the larger the limiting incident angle allowed by the CCR, which results in better anti-misalignment capability. This study provides a concise and efficient model for analyzing the anti-misalignment ability of the CCR. Additionally, it establishes a theoretical foundation for calculating the limiting incident angle of the CCR when dealing with incident light featuring a small optical field diameter.