Structure of a tightly focused vortex beam in the presence of primary coma

Structure of a tightly focused circularly polarized vortex beam in the presence of primary coma has been studied by using Debye-Wolf diffraction integral. The role of topological charge and handedness of the polarization on the focused structure has been discussed. Results have been presented for the total intensity and squares of the polarization components for left-, and right circularly polarized vortex beams. Impact of coma, on the dark core of an azimuthally polarized non-vortex beam is also investigated and compared with the dark core of a circularly polarized vortex beam. The presence of comatic aberration in the focusing system results in a positional shift of the high intensity lobes, and reduction of the intensity on one side of the center. Effect of coma on the focused structure has also been discussed in the context of STED microscopy.     

Focusing of a vortex carrying beam with Gaussian background by an apertured system in presence of coma

In this paper, diffraction pattern of a vortex carrying beam with a Gaussian background has been studied by using Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction integral, in the presence of third-order coma. Results of intensity distribution and encircled energy at the Gaussian plane have been presented for two values of the topological charge. Positional shift and splitting of the dark core have been investigated in detail. It is noticed that the diffraction pattern of a beam with double topological charge is affected more by comatic aberration in comparison to the beam with single topological charge. We have also verified our results by using the optical transfer function approach. Propagation of an apertured Gaussian background vortex beam through a π-phase shifter has also been studied for two values of the topological charge.     

Focusing properties of cylindrical vector vortex beams with high numerical aperture objective

Focused by a high numerical-aperture objective in free space, the cylindrical vector beam phase-encoded by vortex phase plate with higher topological charge was capable to generate the doughnut-shaped spot in the vicinity of the focal region. The width of the dark focal spot was manipulated by the phase plate with different topological charge. The relationship between the properties of the focal spot and the vortex phase plate was explicitly analyzed for the input beam with different cylindrical vector polarization. Furthermore, the experimental verification was undertaken at the incidence beam λ = 635 nm with the radial and azimuthal polarization. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with the theoretical calculation.     

Focusing of stochastic electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beams through a high numerical aperture objective

Based on vectorial Debye diffraction theory, the focusing properties of stochastic electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beams in the focal region of high numerical aperture objective are investigated. Expressions for the intensity distribution and the degree of polarization are derived near the focus. Numerical calculations are performed to analyze the influences of varying corresponding parameters on the changes in the intensity distribution and in the degree of polarization in the focal region.     

Focusing of elliptically polarized Gaussian beams through an annular high numerical aperture

Based on the vectorial Debye theory,the focusing properties of the Gaussian beam through an annular high numerical aperture are studied numerically,including the intensity,the phase and the orbital angular momentum properties.Then the influence of certain parameters on the focusing properties is also investigated.It is shown that sub-wavelength elliptical light spots can be obtained.And there exists a vortex in the longitudinal component of the focused field even though the incident beam is Gaussian beam,indicating that the spin angular momentum of the elliptically polarized Gaussian beam is converted into the orbital angular momentum by the focusing.     

Propagation of Gaussian background vortex beams diffracted at a half-plane screen

Taking the Gaussian background vortex beam with topological charge +2 as a typical example, a closed-form expression for vortex Gaussian beams passing through a half-plane screen is derived and used to study the propagation dynamics of on-axis and off-axis vortex diffracted beams, and to compare with the case of the free-space propagation. It is shown that there may exist many phase singularities or no phase singularity of vortex diffracted Gaussian beams in the diffraction field. Number and position of phase singularities are dependent on the vortex position at the source plane and propagation distance. The creation, motion and annihilation of phase singularities in the diffraction field may appear by varying the vortex position and propagation distance.     

Focusing of hyperbolic-cosine-Gaussian beam with a non-spiral vortex

The focusing properties of the hyperbolic-cosine-Gaussian beam, which contains an optical vortex induced by a non-spiral phase plate, are investigated numerically. The phase plate alters phase distribution linearly in a half-section part of the hyperbolic-cosine-Gaussian beam, which results in one non-spiral optical vortex. Results show that the phase variation rate of the non-spiral phase plate influences focal intensity distribution considerably, and some novel focal patterns, such as line focal spot, “H”-shape focal spot, and intensity peaks array, may occur. Focal shift, focal split, and focal switch appear in focal evolution with increasing phase variation rate. The focal evolution differs for different parameters in cosh parts of the hyperbolic-cosine-Gaussian beam. For big parameters in cosh parts, the value of local intensity peaks is comparable to that of maximum intensity peaks.     

Focusing properties of Gaussian beam by a nonspiral phase plate system

In this article, a nonspiral plate is investigated numerically by vector diffraction theory to observe the focusing properties of Gaussian beams. Both low- and high-numerical-aperture (NA) optical systems are considered in the investigation. It is found that the parameter of NA and the phase vary rate of the phase plate influence the focal intensity distribution considerably. When a nonspiral plate is used to provide linear phase variation on one half of the Gaussian beam, it may adjust the focal spot considerably and conveniently. Changing the vary rate of the phase plate or the parameter of NA can alter optical intensity distribution; some novel focal spots and focal switch may also occur.     

Focusing properties of Gaussian beam with mixed screw and conical phase fronts

Vector diffraction theory is employed to investigate the focusing properties of the Gaussian beams with mixed screw and conical phase fronts. Numerical simulations show that the Gaussian beams with screw-conical phase fronts are different from both the ordinary Laguerre-Gaussian beams and the higher-order Bessel beams. Rather than forming the ring-shaped intensity distributions characteristic of optical vortices, focusing the Gaussian beams with screw-conical phase fronts produce non-symmetric spiral intensity distributions at the focal plane. The intensity distribution forms a counter-clockwise non-symmetric screw path around the focus. The rotation of intensity distributions was observed in the focal plane. The gradient force patterns of these beams focused with high NA are also investigated. The results show that the gradient force pattern shape depends principally on parameter topological charge n of the phase distribution. The gradient force pattern expands with increase in the parameter m of the phase distribution. Therefore, one can change the topological charge n or the parameter m of the phase mask to construct the tunable optical trap to meet different requirements. Its potential application might include rotational positioning of particles and accumulation of smaller non-symmetric particles towards the focus.     

双环角向偏振光束深聚焦特性

基于Richards-Wolf矢量衍射积分公式,研究了双环角向偏振光束经环状高数值孔径透镜的聚焦特性,推导了双环角向偏振光束经环状透镜深聚焦的光强表达式。根据数值模拟结果,比较了相关参量的变化对深聚焦特性的影响。研究表明:入射光束经环状高数值孔径透镜聚焦后,在焦平面得到了具有广泛应用的亚波长空心光斑,并且入射光束的相关参数和聚焦透镜的数值孔径大小都会影响光束的聚焦特性,使聚焦空心光斑达到亚波长量级;双环角向偏振光束经环状高数值孔径透镜的聚焦以后,在焦平面附近产生了一个更长的焦深（约28倍入射光波长）。     

Focusing of a vortex carrying beam with Gaussian background by a lens in the presence of spherical aberration and defocusing

Diffraction pattern formed by a lens for a vortex containing truncated beam with Gaussian background, and in the presence of spherical aberration and defocusing has been studied by Fresnel–Kirchhoff diffraction integral. For the study, two different values of topological charge are selected. Compensation of aberration in the presence of appropriate value of defocusing is investigated. Presence of spherical aberration results in an increase in the size of the dark core of the diffraction pattern. Results are also presented for the encircled energy. Some results are also presented for the influence of truncation parameter of the beam, on the point spread function at different observation planes.     

The focusing property of vector Bessel-Gauss beams by a high numerical aperture objective

The rich available transverse intensity structure of vector Bessel-Gauss beams make it important to probe into the focusing property by high numerical aperture objective. In this paper, we obtain the analytical expressions of azimuthally, radially and longitudinally polarized components in the focal area of the objective after tight focusing. Theoretical analysis and the numerical simulation show that, the transverse intensity distributions of the focused beams still have doughnut-like structure, two separate peak structure and circularly aligned array structure. The focused beam spots obtained by an objective with annular aperture usually have smaller spots than with circular aperture. The focused beam of the vector Bessel-Gauss beam with lowest mode number m = 0 is a radially and azimuthally polarized doughnut-like beam with no longitudinal component. These properties and results are useful in optical trapping and particle alignment.     

Focusing properties of Gaussian beam with superimposed left-handed and right-handed helical phase fronts

Vector diffraction theory is employed to investigate the focusing properties of the Gaussian beams with superimposed left-handed and right-handed helical phase fronts theoretically. Numerical simulations show that the intensity distribution in focal region can be altered considerably by adjusting topological charge m corresponding to right-handed helix and topological charge n corresponding to left-handed helix. Many novel focal pattern may occur. It was shown that the focal pattern evolves from one intensity peak to multiple intensity peaks with changing the topological charge m and n, and all the intensity peaks form in a circle. As the number of intensity peaks is the sum of m and n, the focal pattern can be controlled through adjusting the topological charge m and n. And in order to show the possible applications of these alterable foci pattern, some optical gradient force distributions were also calculated and illuminated.     

The effect of tilt aberration and astigmatism of turbulent atmosphere on the intensity distribution of a vortex carrying Gaussian beam

The effect of tilt and astigmatism aberration of the turbulent atmosphere on the intensity distribution of a focused vortex carrying Gaussian beam was investigated based on the extended Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction integral and the quadratic approximation of phase structure function. Our results have shown that the intensity distribution on the focal plane in the effect of tilt aberration changes with the turbulent strength, the propagation distance and the topological charge of the initial beam. The propagation distance is larger, the focal spot size will be larger, and the central dip will be less deep. It is also noticed that the intensity distribution of a beam with single topological charge is affected more by tilt aberration in comparison to the beam with double topological charge. The effect of astigmatism on the intensity distribution is quite less than that of tilt aberration. For focused beam propagation in atmosphere, the effect of the tilt aberration on the intensity distribution of optical vortex beam is the main effect of total turbulent aberration.     

Stokes beams formed by superposition of a completely unpolarized and a completely polarized Gaussian Schell-model beam

Analytic expressions and computed examples are given to elucidate the coherence and polarization properties of Stokes beams, i.e. beams formed by superposition of a completely unpolarized and a completely polarized electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beam. We found that superposition of such two beams cannot form a Stokes beam with a constant state of polarization on propagation. An additional constraint on the source plane parameters of the two Gaussian Schell-model beams is proposed. The resultant Stokes beam with a constant state of polarization on propagation is found to be a Gaussian Schell-model beam with the same variances as the two constituent Gaussian Schell-model beams. However, the modulus of the Gaussian intensity distributions across the source planes of these beams may be different.     

Focusing properties of radially polarized Bessel-like beam with radial cosine phase wavefront by a high numerical aperture objective

By the use of the vector diffraction theory, the focusing properties of radially polarized Bessel-like beam with radial cosine wave front phase through a high numerical-aperture (NA) lens are investigated theoretically and numerically in this work. The wave front phase distribution is a cosine function of radial coordinate. Calculation results show that focus shift is considerably influenced by changing frequency parameter C and topological charge. An increase on the focus shift C, the total intensity pattern changes remarkably and it focuses along the optical propagation axis. Thus, the focal shift direction can be adjusted by the change of the frequency parameter in cosine function. In this paper, the generation of the focal spot allows an increase in focal length in the axial direction of the incident beam propagation. Under higher numerical aperture (NA = 0.95), the effect of the frequency parameter and topological charge on the focal pattern gets stronger.     

高斯光束通过含失调窄缝光阑的失调光学系统的传输特性

 利用硬边窄缝光阑的近似展开式和适用于失调光学系统的广义衍射公式,得出了高斯光束经含失调窄缝光阑的失调光学系统传输的近似解析式。模拟结果表明输出光束场分布与光束参量、光阑尺寸、ABCD矩阵元、光阑失调量和光学系统失调量有关。针对给定的光学系统和高斯光束定量分析了各失调量对输出光束场分布的影响,结果表明:光阑横向位移、光学系统横向位移和角位移均引起垂直于z轴截面内明显的光强非轴对称分布。当光阑半宽度为1 mm时,光阑的衍射作用使腰斑半径为0.5 mm的高斯光束产生-1.586π～1.465π范围的相对相移,且光阑横向位移、光学系统横向位移和角位移均引起焦平面前后相对相移的迅速变化。随光阑宽度变小,各失调量对输出光束特性的影响越明显。     

Focusing properties of twisted Gaussian Schell-model beams passing through a system: The aperture lens or the aperture and lens separated

Starting from the propagation law of partially coherent light, the focusing properties of twisted Gaussian Schell-model (TGSM) beams passing through an optical system consisting of an aperture lens or through a system consisting of a separated aperture and lens are studied. The propagation expressions for focused TGSM beams have been derived. Our main attention is focused on the effect of the coherence of partially coherent light, the twist parameter and the distance between the aperture and lens on the focusing properties of TGSM beams. Numerical calculation results are given to illustrate how the coherence of partially coherent light, the twist parameter and the distance between the aperture and lens affect the axial irradiance in the focused field.     

Focal shift and focal switch of partially polarized Gaussian Schell-model beams passing through a system with the aperture and spherically aberrated lens separated

Based on the beam coherent-polarization (BCP) matrix approach and propagation law of partially coherent beams, the focal shift and focal switch of partially polarized Gaussian Schell-model (PGSM) beams passing through a system with the aperture and spherically aberrated lens separated is studied in detail. Our main attention is focused on the effect of spherical aberration and partial coherence on the focal shift and focal switch of PGSM beams. It is shown that for polarizer-free case there is no focal switch of PGSM beams, the focal shift of PGSM beams is closely related with spherical aberration coefficient C₄, auto-coherence length σ_a, truncation parameter δ and relative position s/f between the aperture and lens in general, and is independent of the cross-coherence length σ_c. After inserting a polarizer the focal switch can take place. Numerical calculation results are given to illustrate how the spherical aberration and partial coherence affect the focal shift and focal switch of PGSM beams.     

Focal shift and focal switch of Bessel–Gaussian beams passing through a lens system with or without aperture

The focal shift and focal switch of Bessel–Gaussian (B–G) beams passing through a lens system with or without aperture is studied in detail. For the unapertured case, the necessary condition for the focal switch and the expression for the amplitude of the focal switch are derived. It is shown that if the truncation parameter δδ_c or beam parameter ββ_c (δ_c, β_c are the corresponding critical values), there exits only one axial intensity maximum, and the focusing without focal shift can be achieved for u/f=1 (u is the separation between the aperture and lens, f is the focal length of the lens); if δ>δ_c and β>β_c, there exist two axial intensity maxima, and the focal switch can take place at the turning point u/f=1 for both apertured and unapertured cases. The dependence of the amplitude of focal switch and normalized axial intensity minimum on the truncation parameter, beam parameter and Fresnel number is also studied.