Creation of a sharper focus by using a rectified TEMp0 beam

The superresolution technique is usually used in optical imaging for its ability to make the central diffractive spot smaller than the Airy spot. In this paper, we apply the superresolution technique for transforming a symmetrical TEM_p0 Laguerre-Gauss beam into a Gaussian intensity distribution in the plane of a converging lens. The beam shaping is achieved by an annular binary Diffractive Optical Element having a transmittance, alternatively equal to −1 or + 1, modelled on the p light rings of the incident beam. It is observed that the rectified TEM₃₀ beam at focus has a focal volume 170 times smaller than that of a Gaussian beam.     

Investigation in the far field characteristics of TM polarized Gaussian beam from the vectorial structure

Based on the vectorial structure of electromagnetic beam and the method of stationary phase, the analytical TE and TM terms of TM polarized Gaussian beam, the rigorous solution of Maxwell's equations for a confocal resonator, have been presented in the far field. Then in terms of the vectorial structure, TM polarized Gaussian beam is compared with Gaussian TEM₀₀ mode. The TE term is located at the y-axis, and the TM term the x-axis. At the non-paraxial case, the whole beam spot is elliptical, and the long axis is located at the y-axis. Moreover, the whole beam spot of TM polarized Gaussian beam is smaller than that of Gaussian TEM₀₀ mode. At the paraxial case, the whole beam spot is circular, and TM polarized Gaussian beam reduces to be Gaussian TEM₀₀ mode.     

单口径相干合成系统激光光束的M2因子研究

单口径相干合成系统激光光束的光束质量是一个亟待解决的重要问题.基于二阶矩定义, 文中给出了单口径TEM₀₀, TEM₀₁及TEM₁₀两两相干光束M²因子的解析表达式, 并比较分析了束腰宽度、传输距离、振幅之比,以及源场位置矢量对相干光束M²因子的影响, 得到了诸如源场位置参量d₁<100λ时,各相干光束M²因子恒定,反之, 其随位置参量d₁的增大而增大等一些结论.最后,文章对两TEM₀₀模相干光束M²因子的 部分理论进行了实验验证.     

Numerical approach to laser beam propagation through turbulent atmosphere and evaluation of beam quality factor

In this paper, propagation of a Gaussian laser beam through turbulent atmosphere is evaluated numerically. The beam quality factor for the propagated beam has been estimated for different turbulent conditions that are characterized by parameter C_n. The calculations show that the beam quality can be affected dramatically by atmospheric turbulence and the laser beam size and wavelength have major role in the results. Furthermore, the propagation of laser beam in longer distance results in more spatial perturbation of the beam. The results of these calculations and evaluation of beam quality factor M² can be used for estimating the refractive index structure parameter (or atmosphere turbulent parameter) C_n.     

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.     

Generalised ABCD matrix treatment for laser resonators and beam propagation

A generalised ABCD matrix treatment for laser resonators and beam propagation is developed for computer programming. In this treatment, imaginary parts are introduced into the matrixes for all optical elements, and the beam quality factor M² and the index of the medium are also taken into account. When the imaginary parts of the complex matrix are zero and the beam quality factor M² and medium index are unity, the stated method is transformed back into the more classic ABCD matrix format in which the fundamental-mode Gaussian beam transmits through real elements in the vacuum. Based on this method, laser resonator software is realised by the VB programme language. The software can be used to analyse and design stable/unstable standing/travelling cavities, phase-conjugate cavities and beam transformations.     

Thermal lens determination of LD end-pumped solid-state laser with stable resonator by slit scanning method

A simple method to determine the thermal focal length of LD end-pumped solid-state laser with stable resonator is presented. The M² factor describing the quality of the beam can be obtained by scanning a slit through the multi-mode Gaussian beam field. The waist width of the beam and the corresponding TEM₀₀ under the same parameters of laser are then deduced through the law of multi-mode Gaussian beam propagation. Based on the standard matrix theory of stable resonator, the thermal focal length of the gain medium can be easily achieved. To show the application of this approach, the thermal focal length of an LD pumped Nd:YVO₄ laser is measured and the experimental results are in agreement with the theoretical prediction.     

The nonparaxial propagation of the TEM0l doughnut beam with the orbital angular momentum in the far field

The analytical expression for nonparaxial electric field amplitude of the TEM_0l^? doughnut beam with the orbital angular momentum quantum number l is derived in the far field by means of the angular spectrum representation and the stationary phase method. It is shown that the divergent angle of the far field of TEM_0l^? doughnut beam will be smaller with the decreasing of the orbital angular momentum quantum number l or the increasing of the beam waist width w of the initial beam. And the maximal radial intensity of the beam is decreased with its propagation at different rates for different l and w.     

Analysis of TEM00 laser beam quality degradation caused by a birefringent Nd: YAG rod

The effects produced by a birefringent rod on the beam quality factor,M _infr ^sup2 , of a Gaussian TEM₀₀ laser beam are studied. Analytical expressions for the beam parameters at the output plane of a rod amplifier are derived. The theory predicts that the beam quality degrades rapidly with the heat power dissipated in the rod.     

Diffraction properties of opaque disks outside and inside a laser cavity

Diffraction of symmetrical Laguerre-Gauss TEM_p0 beams incident on an opaque disk known as a stop is considered. The near- and far-field patterns are studied. Thanks to zero-field occluding, conversion from TEM₁₀ beam to dark hollow beam can be achieved with better efficiency than from a TEM₀₀ beam. It is shown that the fundamental mode of a laser cavity including a diaphragm and a stop can be TEM₀₀- or TEM₁₀-like in shape depending on their size. This result is interpreted from the new divergence hierarchy, which characterises the diffracted TEM_p0 beams emerging from the stop.     

Propagation properties of a non-paraxial hollow Gaussian beam

Based on the non-paraxial vectorial moment theory of beam propagation, the analytical expressions of the M² factors for a non-paraxial hollow Gaussian beam (HGB) have been derived. The analytical formulae are further simplified for paraxial and highly non-paraxial cases. The beam waists, the divergence angles and the beam propagation factors are also depicted as functions of the parameter w₀. The divergence angles will not exceed the maximum value of 90°. When w₀ is within the scale of one time of light wavelength, the TE polarization results in the different beam propagation factors in the two transverse directions and the beam propagation factors first increase and then decrease. When w₀ is large enough, the beam propagation factors are determined only by the beam order.     

一种CCD辅助测量基模(TEM00)激光光斑尺寸的方法

激光光束是一种振幅和等相位面都在变化的高斯球面光波,其最小光斑的位置和大小不易确定,本文在实践的基础上提出一种测量基模(TEM₀₀)激光光斑尺寸的方法,解决了这一问题.     

Self-focusing and defocusing of TEM0p Hermite-Gaussian laser beams in collisionless plasma

The authors have investigated the self-focusing and defocusing of first six TEM_0p Hermite-Gaussian laser beams in collisionless plasma. In case of collisionless plasma the nonlinearity in the dielectric constant is mainly due to the ponderomotive force. It is found that modes with odd p-values defocuses and that with even p-values exhibit oscillatory as well as defocusing character of beam-width parameters variation during their propagation in collisionless plasma. The entire theoretical formulation is established under parabolic wave equation approach. The numerical computation is completed by using fourth order Runge-Kutta method. Finally the behavior of beam-width parameters with the dimensionless distance of propagation is presented graphically.     

Laser Mode-Dependent Size of Plasma Zones Induced by Femtosecond Laser Pulses in Fused Silica

We carry out the numerical simulations of femtosecond laser propagation with TEMoo mode, TEM10 mode and a beam combining both the modes in fused silica. It is found that the transverse size of plasma zones induced by laser pulses with the TEM10 mode is smaller than that induced by the TEM00 mode, while the longitudinal size is almost the same, and the saturated plasma density is higher. The transverse size, the longitudinal size and the ratio of the longitudinal to transverse size, for the beam combining both the modes, all could be reduced at the same time in comparison with the TEM00 mode under the same focusing conditions.     

Fluctuation of Gaussian beams propagating through a light-focusing glass fibre

The mean-square fluctuations of log-amplitude and phase are studied theoretically for Gaussian beams propagating through a light-focusing glass fibre having a Gaussian covariance of the refractive-index inhomogeneities. The study is based on a method of the Rytov approximation which has been mainly employed for an analysis of the beam fluctuations in an atmosphere. The results show that the mean-square fluctuations increase proportionally to the propagation distance for gz>1,g andz being the focusing coefficient of a fibre and the actual propagation distance, and also increase monotonically as the beam spot size becomes larger. It is also shown that the fluctuations increase significantly in the radial direction of the beam from the centre and that the on-axis fluctuations of log-amplitude and phase depend greatly on the beam spot size.     

Influence of turbulence on the beam propagation factor of Gaussian Schell-model array beams

The analytical expression for the beam propagation factor (M²-factor) of Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) array beams propagating through atmospheric turbulence is derived. It is shown that the M²-factor of GSM array beams depends on the beam number, the relative beam separation distance, the beam coherence parameter, the type of beam superposition, and the strength of turbulence. The turbulence results in an increase of the M²-factor. However, for the superposition of the intensity the M²-factor is less sensitive to turbulence than that for the superposition of the cross-spectral density function. The M²-factor of GSM array beams is larger than that of the corresponding Gaussian array beams. However, the M²-factor of GSM array beams is less affected by turbulence than that of the corresponding Gaussian array beams. For the superposition of the cross-spectral density function a minimum of the M²-factor of GSM array beams may appear in turbulence, which is even smaller than that of the corresponding single GSM beams.     

Ultrahigh-efficiency TEM<Subscript>00</Subscript> diode-side-pumped Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser

Ultrahigh-efficiency TEM₀₀ operation is demonstrated in a diode-pumped Nd:YVO₄ laser in a bounce amplifier geometry using a specially designed astigmatically optimised cavity configuration. Optical efficiency >68% is demonstrated and up to 27.1 W of output power for multimode operation. For single-mode TEM₀₀ operation, an output power of 23.1 W for 39.5 W of diode pumping was produced with beam propagation parameters of M_x ²=1.3 and M_y ²=1.1. Received: 10 October 2002 / Revised version: 9 December 2002 / Published online: 19 March 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +44-20/7594-7744, E-mail: a.minassian@ic.ac.uk     

Effect of complex phase plate on tight focusing of azimuthally polarized double ring shaped beam

Based on the vector diffraction theory, the effect of complex phase plate on the intensity distribution of TEM₁₁ mode azimuthally polarized Laguerre–Gaussian beam in the focal region of high NA lens is investigated theoretically. It is observed that a properly designed complex phase plate can generate a subwavelength focal hole having FWHM of 0.332λ with an extended focal depth of 54.4λ. We also observe that by using properly designed complex phase plate generates novel focal patterns including splitting of focal holes and multi focus are obtained. The author expects such investigation is worthwhile for optical manipulation and material processing technologies.     

Far-field intensity distribution, M factor of beams generated by Gaussian mirror resonator

We investigated M² factor and far-field distribution of beams generated by Gaussian mirror resonator. And we found usable analytical expressions of the M² factor and the far-field distribution intensity with respect to variation of diffraction parameters. Particular attention was paid to the parameters such as mirror spot size and reflectance of the Gaussian mirror.     

Propagation characteristics of TM Gaussian beam

The propagation characteristics of TM polarized Gaussian beam, which is the rigorous solution of an eigenfunction problem for a confocal resonator, have been investigated using the nonparaxial vectorial moment theory of light beam propagation. The analytical expressions of the beam propagation factors are given by means of Fourier transform. Both the transversal second-order moment beam widths follow a simple hyperbolic variational law. For nonparaxial case, however, beam has different propagating features in the two transversal directions. As to paraxial case, its propagation approximately reduces to that of scalar Gaussian beam TEM₀₀ mode.