Generation of sub-wavelength and super-resolution longitudinally polarized non-diffraction beam using lens axicon

It is well known that a light spot of sub-wavelength will diverge in all directions. In this letter, A method is presented for generating sub-wavelength (0.44λ) longitudinally polarized beam, which propagates without divergence over lengths of about 2λ in free space. This is achieved by a high numerical aperture (NA) lens axicon that utilizes spherical aberration to duplicate the performance of an axicon and to create an extended focal line.     

Focusing properties of spirally polarized hollow Gaussian beam

Focusing properties of spirally polarized hollow Gaussian beam (HGB) are investigated theoretically by vector diffraction theory in this article. Results show that the optical intensity in focal region of spirally polarized HGB can be altered considerably by the beam order, numerical aperture of the focusing system, and spiral parameter that indicates the polarization spiral degree of the spirally polarized HGB. Spiral parameter can induce focal pattern change in axial direction remarkably, while beam order and numerical aperture affect radial foal pattern more obviously. The tunable principle of the focal pattern by spiral parameter differs very considerably under condition of different numerical aperture and beam order. Many novel focal patterns may occur in focal pattern evolution. It was also found that focal shift and focal depth can be altered significantly by spiral parameter and beam order.     

用像差逐项优化法装调离轴三反射镜光学系统

在对复杂光学系统粗装调完成之后 ,利用自准干涉检验的办法 ,采集光学系统各视场的干涉图 ,然后用干涉条纹分析软件算出整个系统波前误差 ,其量值用泽尼克系数来表示 ,通过泽尼克系数与系统的波像差的关系 ,判断要调整的目标值 ,即当前在光学系统中占主导地位的波前误差 ,对主导误差优化 ,得到系统的失调量 ,由光学设计软件确定其正确后 ,进行一次精密装调。然后进行多次这样的计算机迭代和优化 ,直到光学系统达到最好的调整状态。运用此方法来装调大口径 ,长焦距离轴三反射镜系统 ,在波长λ等于 6 32 .8nm时 ,该离轴三反射镜系统中心视场波像差均方根值达到了 0 .0 94λ ,+1°视场和 - 1°视场的均方根值分别为 0 .10 6λ和 0 .12 5λ。     

Effect of annular apodization and pupil beam parameter in the focal region of high NA lens

Focusing properties of the radially polarized axisymmetric Bessel-modulated Gaussian beam with quadratic radial dependence (QBG beam) and annular aperture are investigated theoretically by vector diffraction theory. Simulation results show that the intensity distribution in the focal region of the radially polarized axisymmetric QBG beam can be adjusted considerably by small beam parameter (μ) and annular aperture (δ). When μ increases, the focal spot may change to focal hole and changes focal pattern remarkably. On introducing annular aperture, focus can split or extends along the optical axis for different μ. In this paper, we have shown the generation of the focal spot, dark focal spot, focal split and increase in focal depth in the axial direction of the incident beam propagating through the aligned optical system.     

Intensity distribution and focal depth of axicon illuminated by Gaussian Schell-model beam

In view of second-order coherence theory, the generalized diffractive axicon illuminated by partially coherent Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) beams is analyzed. An analytical equation for focal depth of axicon without aperture illuminated by spatial partially coherent GSM beam is derived. We showed that the off-axis images can be evaluated by using the method of stationary phase at any correlation state, hence we demonstrated that the intensity distribution of diffracted beam is a superposition of Bessel Beams of various orders. We also showed that the diffracted beam is nondiffractive only on the boundaries of the focal depth.     

Effect of polarization on focal depth in high numerical apertures optical systems

The generalized cylindrical vector beam is just a linear combination of radial and azimuthal polarization. For radially polarized light in the focal plane, there are two electric field components, the radial component and z-component whose magnitude increase with the increase of numerical aperture. By contrast, for azimuthally polarized light in the focal plane, there is only one electrical field component in the azimuthal polarization, it is easy to understand the difference between the two polarization effects. In this paper, we demonstrate how this phenomenon can be harnessed to make a properly selected polarization component to achieve high focal depth in high numerical aperture systems. Numerical simulations show that the evolution of the focal shape is very considerable by changing polarization rotation angle of the generalized cylindrical vector beam. And some interesting focal spots and focal split may occur. And if the ratio of radial and azimuthal polarization is set properly by changing the polarization rotation angle, a largest focal depth is achieved. The tunable range of the focal depth is very considerable. The ratio of radial and azimuthal polarization is different in different NA optical system for obtaining the largest focal depth. We will denote a technique of polarization-assisted high focal depth in high numerical aperture systems.     

Manipulation of the overall polarization orientation in the focal volume of high numerical objectives

We propose an approach for tuning the three-dimensional polarization of a focusing subwavelength spot by a high numerical aperture objective. The incident beams are composed of a radially polarized beam, an azimuthally polarized beam, and a linearly polarized beam with three different weighting factors, respectively. A specially designed adjustable amplitude angular selector is also inserted at the back aperture of the objective for tuning the polarization azimuthally. It is shown that any desired overall polarization orientation can be obtained. We calculated the overall polarization orientation in the focal volume. It is found that the polar angle of the overall polarization orientation can be arbitrarily tuned by the combination of a radially polarized beam and a linearly polarized beam with different weighting factors, and the azimuthal angle can be tuned by rotating the orientation of the linearly polarized beam azimuthally.     

Focus shaping of tightly focused TEM11 mode cylindrically polarized Laguerre Gaussian beam by diffractive optical element

We study the focus shaping of tightly focused TEM₁₁ mode cylindrically polarized Laguerre Gaussian beam with high numerical aperture lens axicon system is investigated theoretically by vector diffraction theory. The intensity pattern at the focus can be tailored by appropriately adjusting the rotation angle. We show that the high NA lens axicon system can generates a sub wavelength focal spot, focal hole, focal splitting and flat-topped focal shapes with extended depth of focus.     

Achievement of longitudinally polarized focusing with long focal depth by amplitude modulation

The longitudinal component of a focused beam is split into two parts along the optical axis to obtain a longitudinally polarized long focal depth using amplitude filtering based on Euler transformation and a radially polarized Bessel-Gaussian beam. Numerical results indicate that long focal depth and FWHM can be easily achieved with 9λ and 0.8λ, respectively. A radially polarized beam can be converted into a longitudinally polarized beam with a conversion efficiency of 51.0%. It can therefore be believed that the proposed scheme can be widely used to generate a longitudinally polarized beam for particle acceleration, laser cutting, and optical trapping.     

Smallest focal hole

We study theoretically routes toward the most confined dark channel that can be obtained using high angular aperture focusing. One possible solution is to use a radially polarized beam combined with an optical singularity. Another possibility is to use an azimuthally polarized light beam combined with an annular aperture or a phase filter. Our results suggest that a focal hole of full-width at half maximum of approximately 0.3λ₀/NA is achievable, where λ₀ is the wavelength in vacuum and NA is the numerical aperture of the focusing system. Finally, we show that by letting a phase-shifted plane wave and a focused scalar wave interfere only one point in the focal plane will exhibit zero intensity. Advantages and disadvantages of the schemes are discussed.     

Focal shift of flat-topped beams passing through a lens system with or without aperture

We theoretically investigated on the focal shift of flat-topped beams (FTBs) passing through a lens system with or without aperture. We find that the position of on-axis peak intensity of focused FTBs strongly depends on the Fresnel number, the flatness order of FTBs, the truncation of the aperture, as well as the relative incident distance. The results indicate that the focal shift away from the geometrical focus of the focused FTBs appears when the relative incident distance does not equal to 1 and increases with the decreasing of the Fresnel number or the beam flatness order for both the apertured and unapertured lens systems. In the lens system with aperture, the focal shift effect decreases with the increase of the truncation parameter.     

Tight focusing effect of annular obstructed incident beam in the focal region of high NA lens

Focusing properties of the azimuthally polarized axisymmetric Bessel-modulated Gaussian beam with Quadratic Bessel Gaussian (QBG beam) and annular aperture are investigated theoretically by vector diffraction theory. Simulation results show that the intensity distribution in focal region of the azimuthally polarized axisymmetric QBG beam can be shifted along optical axis considerably by changing parameter (C). On introducing annular aperture (δ), focal pattern at the focus extends along optical axis. In this paper, we have shown the generation of focal hole and focal shifting in the axial direction of incident beam propagating through aligned optical system which is suitable for application such as optical manipulation and optical trapping.     

双环径向偏振涡旋光束经介质界面的深聚焦

基于矢量德拜理论,研究了双环径向偏振涡旋光束经介质分界面的深聚焦特性。当选取适当的入射光束拦截比时(即透镜孔径半径与入射光束的束腰半径的比),在聚焦场中可以得到一个极小的局域空心光束。局域空心光束的大小不仅与透镜的数值孔径有关,还与聚焦场介质的折射率有关。另外,还研究了透镜的数值孔径、入射光束的拦截比以及探测深度对聚焦光束实际焦点位置的影响。通过对聚焦光束的实际焦点位置的计算发现:当选取一定的光束拦截比时,聚焦光束存在一个焦点开关。     

Quasi Bessel beam by Billet's N-split lens

This study utilizes the focal property of a classical Billet's split lens to create more focal points by splitting the lens. This approach distributes the focal points circularly on the focal plane. This study explores the characteristics of beam propagation and analytically derives the asymptotic characteristics of beam propagation based on the stationary phase approximation and the moment-free Filon-type method. Results show that the unique Billet's N-split lens can generate a quasi Bessel beam if the number of splitting N is large enough, e.g., N ≧ 24. This study also explores the diffraction efficiency of corresponding quasi Bessel beam and the influence of aperture size. The potential advantage of proposed split lens approach is that, unlike the classical means of annular aperture, this simple lens approach allows a much larger throughput in creating the Bessel beam and hence the Bessel beam could have more optical energy.     

Focal shift of focused truncated random electromagnetic beams

The focal shifts of focused truncated random electromagnetic beams are investigated. Based on the complex Gaussian expansion method for a hard-edged aperture function, the analytical propagation formula of cross-spectral density matrix for a random electromagnetic beam focused by an optical system with a thin lens and a circular aperture is derived. The Fresnel numbers related with the beam and system parameters are defined and used to examine focal shifts. The dependence of the focal shifts on the different Fresnel numbers and polarization distribution are discussed in detail with numerical examples.     

Sharper focal spot below λ/4 of azimuthally polarized illumination phase-encoded by the binary 0/π phase plate

The intensity distribution in the focal region for the azimuthally polarized beam phase-encoded by the binary 0/π phase plate is calculated on the basis of the vector diffraction theory. With the annular pupil aperture employed, the resolution of the focal spot will be improved remarkably. We demonstrate a sharper focal spot with full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 0.223λ (below λ/4), significantly smaller that of linear, circular and radial polarization beam under the same condition. The focusing phenomena for illumination beam with various polarization status and beam shapes are analyzed explicitly. This analysis could have potential applications in confocal microscopy and two-photo microscopy for polarization difference imaging.     

Generation of sub wavelength focal spot with large depth of focus generated by radially polarized beam

We investigate the focusing properties of a radially polarized Bessel Gaussian beam by a high numerical aperture (NA) lens based on vector diffraction theory. We observe that our proposed system generates a sub wavelength focal spot of 0.42λ having large uniform focal depth of 6.45λ. The authors expect such a long depth of focus have great potential for use in optical, biological, high-resolution and atmospheric sciences.     

Focal shift and focal switch of flat-topped Mathieu-Gaussian beams passing through an apertured lens system

By introducing a hard aperture function into a finite sum of complex Gaussian functions, an approximate analytical expression predominating the distribution of axial intensity for the flat-topped Mathieu-Gauss (FTMG) beams passing through a system with the aperture and lens separated has been derived. The focal shift and the focal switch effect of FTMG beams passing through the system is studied in detail. Numerical calculations have shown that the position of real focal plane is not coincident with the geometrical focus but is somewhat shifted toward the lens. The focal shift and focal switch of FTMG beams take place when the relative separation s/f = 1 by a suitable choice of beam parameter and truncation parameter, for example, the beam parameter is smaller than its corresponding critical value or the truncation parameter is between its two corresponding critical values.     

高次方涡旋光束经大数值孔径透镜的聚焦特性

为了获得多种类型的波长量级聚焦光斑,研究了一种新型涡旋光束,高次方涡旋光束经过大数值孔径透镜的聚焦。基于矢量德拜积分公式,理论上研究了线偏振的高次方涡旋光束经过大数值孔径透镜的聚焦特性。研究了涡旋光束的拓扑荷数和幂次方数对聚焦平面光强和电场x分量的相位分布的影响。研究结果表明,通过控制涡旋光束的拓扑荷数和幂次方数可以产生不同类型的聚焦光强分布,例如尺寸约为2个波长大小的实心和空心型聚焦光斑。此外,与普通的涡旋光束聚焦不同,高次方涡旋光束聚焦后的奇点并不在焦点处。这些特殊的聚焦光斑有望在微粒的操控等领域中得到应用。     

Focal patterns of higher order hyperbolic-cosine-Gaussian beam with one optical vortex

Intensity distribution in focal region plays an important role in many optical systems. In this paper, the focal patterns of higher order hyperbolic-cosine-Gaussian (HOCG) beam in focal plane were investigated. The HOCG beam contains one spiral optical vortex on its optical axis. Results show that the focal pattern can be altered considerably by beam order of the incident HOCG beam, and some novel focal patterns may occur, including foursquare focal pattern, cross-shaped dark focal focus, foursquare intensity peaks chain, and multiple intensity peaks array. Focal pattern evolution principle on increasing beam order also differs remarkably under condition of different topological charge of the optical vortex and displacement parameter associated with the cosh parts. And like topological charge and displacement parameter, the beam order and numerical aperture may affect focal pattern.