Efficient operator method for modelling mode mixing in misaligned optical cavities

Abstract: The transverse field structure and diffraction loss of the resonant modes of Fabry-P\'erot optical cavities are acutely sensitive to the alignment and shape of the mirror substrates. We develop extensions to the `mode mixing' method applicable to arbitrary mirror shapes, which both facilitate fast calculation of the modes of cavities with transversely misaligned mirrors and enable the determination and transformation of the geometric properties of these modes. We show how these methods extend previous capabilities by including the practically-motivated case of transverse mirror misalignment, unveiling rich and complex structure of the resonant modes.