Generation of a vectorial Mathieu-like hollow beam with a periodically rotated polarization property

We propose a promising and practical scheme to generate a vectorial Mathieu-like hollow beam (vMHB) by using an axicon optical system including a dual-mode elliptic hollow fiber (EHF), and calculate the intensity and polarization distributions of the beam and its fractional orbital angular momentum (OAM). We also fit its intensity profile and obtain suitable theoretical expressions to describe three-dimensional (3D) propagation characteristics of such a Mathieu-like hollow beam. Our study shows that the generated beam is a vMHB within the propagation distance 1.2-2.2 m, which has an unchanged (diffraction-free) intensity profile and periodically rotated polarization properties as well as an unchanged fractional OAM within 1.2-2.2 m.     

Intensity distribution around the focal regions of real axicons

We present a theoretical and experimental study of the intensity distribution of a laser beam, after its propagation through a real axicon. We show that, while an ideal axicon generates Bessel-like radial intensity profile and smooth on-axis intensity around the focal region, in practice, the bluntness of the tip of the axicon causes significant deviations from these profiles. In particular, strong oscillations occur on the on-axis intensity. The input beam size also plays a strong role; for small beams the axicon acts more like a conventional lens, while for the large ones, it exhibits two focal regions. We also propose scheme for apodization. In all cases, the experiments match closely with the calculations. Our results show that axicons cannot be assumed to always generate smooth on-axis intensities and the structures coming from the real profiles should be taken into account for most applications.     

Generation of high quality tunable Bessel beams using a liquid-immersion axicon

By immersing a conventional glass axicon in index-matching liquid, we generated high quality, tunable, quasi-non-diffracting Bessel beams. The aberrations resulting from the roundness of the axicon tip are minimized when a large base angle is used in liquid-immersion. This configuration also allows coarse and fine tunability through changing the liquid and adjusting the temperature, respectively. Our experimental results match very well with calculated intensity profiles. We succeeded to generate two-meter long plasma channels in air by focusing femtosecond laser pulses with the liquid-immersion axicon.     

Self-Diffraction of Bessel Light Beams in a Nonlinear Medium

The phenomenon of self-diffraction of Bessel light beams (BLB) in a nonlinear liquid medium has been studied experimentally and theoretically for the first time. Diffraction maxima which do not correspond to integer orders for an induced periodic structure have been registered. It has been shown that the appearance of these maxima is due to the initial BLB modulation, which can be caused by the departure of the axicon refracting surface from the ideal conical surface, as well as by the imperfection of the form of the Gaussian beam incident on the axicon.     

衍射轴棱锥产生光学点阵的理论和实验

提出一种利用衍射轴棱锥产生三维光格的方法.由广义的惠更斯一菲涅耳衍射积分理论出发.分析准直单色平面光波大角度斜入射轴棱锥形成的光学点阵的特性.数值模拟光束在不同入射角入射轴棱锥情况下,随轴向距离变化的纵向光强分布以及同一轴向距离处的横向光强分布光斑图.结果指出,随着入射轴棱锥角度的增大,在最大无衍射距离内会形成有规则的光学点阵,这种光学点阵与三维光子晶体的结构相近,实验结果与数值模拟相吻合.     

Pattern generation using axicon lens beam shaping in two-photon polymerisation

The fabrication of three-dimensional microstructures by two-photon polymerisation has been widely reported as a viable route to the development of photonic crystals, rotors, bridges and other complex artefacts requiring nanoscale resolution. Conventionally, single point serial writing is used to write the structures but recently multipoint beam delivery using beam division optics has been reported as a method of introducing parallel processing. In this paper we present an alternative and novel approach using an axicon lens to give profiled beam delivery. This enables complete three-dimensional annular structure fabrication without the use of scanning stages. In addition, the concept of axicon delivery is developed further to investigate three-dimensional structure as a function of axicon geometry.A Ti:sapphire laser, with wavelength 795 nm, 80 MHz repetition rate, 100 fs pulse duration and an average power of 700 mW, was used to initiate two-photon polymerisation. The axicon was used, in combination with a 100× microscope objective, to form representative three-dimensional structures based on the annular cell with varying diameter. The structures were written in a Zr-loaded resin prepared on a glass substrate using dip coating deposition of a Zr/PMMA hybrid prepared by the sol-gel method. Annuli with diameters up to 50 μm were characterised in terms of topography and surface roughness using SEM and Zygo interferometer. The writing technique was also extended to fabrication of stacked structures.     

轴棱锥对无衍射光束的线聚焦特性

基于汉克尔波理论和衍射积分理论详细分析了轴棱锥对无衍射光束的线聚焦特性, 提出了一种产生周期性局域空心光束的新方法, 即无衍射贝塞尔光束经过轴棱锥聚焦后产生具有塔尔博特效应的局域空心光束. 数值模拟了无衍射贝塞尔光束照射轴棱锥后, 沿传输距离变化的光强分布及一个周期内光强的演变和局域空心光束的形成过程. 设计实验系统, 由He-Ne激光经过一套光学系统后透过轴棱锥, 产生近似无衍射贝塞尔光束, 再由第二个轴棱锥对产生的无衍射贝塞尔光束进行线聚焦, 在第二个轴棱锥后面由显微镜观测到周期性局域空心光束, 并用CCD照相机拍摄了两个周期内的光斑图, 实验结果和理论分析相符合. 研究结果可用于多层面微粒的操控, 对周期性局域空心光束在光学微操控领域的应用具有重要的指导意义. 关键词： 贝塞尔光束 轴棱锥 线聚焦 局域空心光束     

Azimuthal variations in the brightness of Fabry-Perot axicon fringes

According to Fresnel relations, the transmission through an inclined dielectric plate depends on the orientation of the light vector relative to the plane of incidence. Since an axicon has a conical surface, linearly polarized incident light has different transmissivity through different portions of the axicon. It is shown that the difference in transmissivity, as a function of azimuthal angle, increases with increasing values of the vertex angle of the axicon. This effect causes inhomogeneity in the brightness of Fabry-Perot fringes, and for a slightly misaligned system can distort the shape of the scanning spectral line.     

环形障碍物-轴棱锥产生局域空心光束

提出一种产生局域空心光束(bottle beam)的新方法,它是在传统的轴棱锥底面上放置一个环形障碍物.平面波入射到带有环形障碍物的轴棱锥底面时,将在轴棱锥产生的最大无衍射距离内形成bottle beam,而在bottle beam的前后仍然保持无衍射贝塞尔光.通过变化障碍物大小及轴棱锥底角实现bottle beam尺寸的控制.利用衍射理论描述了平面波经带有环形障碍物的轴棱锥产生bottle beam的原理,分析和模拟了传输过程中不同位置的截面光强分布及整个过程的三维光强分布,并给出相关的实验结果.研究结果对bottlebeam的实际应用具有积极的意义.     

DESIGN OF DIFFRACTIVE-PHASE AXICON ILLUMINATED BY A GAUSSIAN-PROFILE BEAM

The diffractive-phase axicon can convert the Gaussian-profile beam into axial uniform intensity distribution with long focal depth and high lateral resolution. Two types of phase-retardation functions for the nonuniform-illuminating axicon are derived in terms of the ray tracing and the geometrical law of energy conservation. Based on the general theory of the amplitude-phase retrieval in optical system and the iteration algorithm, the optimization design of the phase distribution of the diffractive-phase axicon can be achieved. The simulation celculations show that the new approach may successfully offer the design of the desired diffractive-phase axicon with long focal depth and high lateral resolution. A comparison of the performances of the holographic axicon with the phase-retardation functions from the geometrical optics prediction and the diffractive-phase axicon designed by the new approach is also presented.     

Micro-ablation on silicon by femtosecond laser pulses focused with an axicon assisted with a lens

Micro-ablation of crystalline silicon was performed by irradiating a silicon substrate with femtosecond laser pulses of wavelengths 786 nm or 393 nm focused using a conical axicon assisted with a convex lens. Focusing the laser beam close to the tip of the axicon by means of the lens significantly improved the efficiency of concentration of laser pulse energy at the central spot of the resulting Bessel-Gaussian intensity distribution. As a result, micron-sized holes were formed with the diameter determined by the ablation threshold in the calculated fluence profile. It is possible to predict hole size from the laser pulse energy and the wavelength. Crystalline particles, a few tens of nanometers in size, were formed near the ablated zone.     

Formation of expanded smooth quasi-Bessel beam range due to the transformation of the Gaussian beam in absorbing axicon

The quasi-Bessel beam range produced by an absorbing axicon is investigated. It is shown that when an incident Gaussian beam is used, the absorbing axicon stretches (with respect to transparent axicon case) the uniform on-axis light intensity distribution length, as well as expanding the quasi-Bessel beam range. In addition, the peak of axial light distribution is shifted from the axicon tip. As a result any spatial modulation formed due to the bluntness of the tip is reduced close to the on-axis intensity peak, which becomes more smooth and uniform.     

The generation of Bessel beams at millimetre-wave frequencies by use of an axicon

An axicon is used to generate a Bessel beam at 90 GHz in the millimetre-wave region of the spectrum. The Bessel beam has a central intensity maximum of approximately 4 mm in diameter that is maintained over a propagation distance greater than 60 mm.     

梯度轴棱锥产生单个Bottle beam

首次提出一种新的梯度轴棱锥模型,这种梯度轴棱锥在传统的轴棱锥基础上,将轴棱锥顶点的锥角设计成具有一定的梯度.平面波入射到这种梯度轴棱锥,其衍射场会形成两个区域的Bessel光,并且在这两个Bessel光之间形成一个Bottle beam（局域空心光束）.由于Bottle beam具有三维封闭的空心区域和极高的强度梯度,可用作激光导管、光镊和光学扳手等,在生命科学和纳米科技中有重要应用.从几何光学角度分析了梯度轴棱锥形成单个Bottle beam的原理,由衍射及相干理论,分析和模拟了纵向剖面光强分布和横截面光强分布.研究结果对梯度轴棱锥的设计和应用具有指导意义. 关键词： 梯度轴棱锥 Bottle beam 轴棱锥 Bessel光     

A practical ultrasound axicon for non-destructive testing

A practical water-coupled ultrasound axicon has been developed, which is realized by a combination of an annular PZT and a conical plexiglass wedge bonded to it. The acoustic beam from the PZT is refracted by the wedge and focused over a certain range in the axial direction. Two kinds of axicon are prepared for flaw examination of metals or ceramics. Suppression of the surface echo and sidelobes is discussed. Some examples which show the abilities of the axicons are also presented.     

椭圆高斯光束产生近似无衍射Bessel-Gauss光

研究了轴棱锥聚焦像散椭圆高斯光束的光场分布特性,根据菲涅耳衍射积分理论导出了椭圆高斯光束经轴棱锥衍射后的光场分布,通过数值积分给出椭圆高斯光束经轴棱锥聚焦后的近轴光场强度分布情况,将其与圆高斯光束产生的近似Bessel-Gauss场进行比较,发现椭圆高斯光束经轴棱锥聚焦后的光束在一定的传播距离内也具有无衍射特性,且轴上光强分布与圆高斯光束产生的Bessel-Gauss光束的轴上光强分布具有相似的形式,而这种无衍射光场的强度在垂直于光轴的平面上不再是柱对称分布。根据近轴球面波产生近似Bessel光束的最大无衍射距离公式计算了椭圆Bessel-Gauss光束在子午面和弧矢面上的最大无衍射距离,整个光束的无衍射距离由入射到轴棱锥上的椭圆光斑短轴方向的尺寸决定。     

非相干光源无衍射光的自重建

基于Hankel 波理论分析了非相干光源产生Bessel光束的自重建特性, 利用光学设计软件ZEMAX模拟了Bessel光束经过轴上圆形障碍物后的截面光强分布. 由于发光二级管(LED) 具有一定的频谱宽度且不像激光具有很高的相干度, 因此我们采用一定频宽范围的连续谱来描述. 从模拟结果可以直观地看出Bessel光束被轴上圆形障碍物遮挡后逐步完成自重建, 说明用LED非相干光作为光源具有自重建特性.实验上采用LED和轴棱锥元件产生Bessel光束, 然后通过轴上圆形障碍物、轴上方形障碍物, 并拍摄了不同位置处的截面光强分布图, 证实了非相干光源产生Bessel光束的自重建特性.实验结果和模拟结果相符合. 关键词： 无衍射光束 LED光源 轴棱锥 自重建     

Atom trap in an axicon mirror

We have realized a novel atom trap in an axicon (conical hollow) mirror, using a frequency-modulated, single-diode laser. Different spatial distributions of trapped atoms such as a ball and a ring are observed. We show that our numerical simulations are consistent with experimental results. In particular, the ring diameter is found to be approximately the separation between the mirror axis and the magnetic field axis. The axicon trap may be useful as a precooled atom source for cold atomic beams, atom funnels, and atom waveguides.     

Extending the depth of focus with high NA lens axicon

Based on vectorial Debye theory, tight focusing of x-polarized beam with high NA lens axicon is studied. The high NA lens axicon utilizes spherical aberration to duplicate the performance of an axicon and to create an extended focal line. The intensity distribution in the focal region is illustrated by numerical calculations. We show that the high NA lens axicon system can generates a sub wavelength beam (0.826λ) with depth of focus around 10λ.     

A controlled conical lens for the formation of Bessel light beams

The possibility of the formation of zero-order Bessel light beams using a uniaxial crystal with cylindrical electrodes is investigated. It is shown that, if a given polarization distribution is provided in the incident beam, a Bessel light beam with the cone angle controlled by an external electric field is formed. It is proposed to use this result for the matching of the axicon parameters and creation of conical lenses with an adjustable cone angle.