Diffraction modeling between arbitrary non-parallel planes using angular spectrum rearrangement

In computational optics, numerical modeling of diffraction between arbitrary planes offers remarkable flexibility. However, computational accuracy and efficiency are often at odds with each other. Here, we present an approach that accurately and efficiently models wave propagation between two arbitrary planes, which is realized by rearranging the angular spectrum of the source field, coupled with a flexible Fourier transform algorithm. It applies to both scalar and vectorial diffraction modeling, achieving an accuracy improvement of 10--10⁹ times, depending on different intersection angles. Notably, our method can cope well with orthogonal-plane diffraction, which is inaccessible by previous works. Moreover, it also enables a flexible balance between accuracy and efficiency, providing potential for further acceleration and accuracy enhancement. After theoretical verification, we provide experimental demonstration in computer-generated holography.