Tightly focused laser light with azimuthal polarization and singular phase
V.V. Kotlyar, A.G. Nalimov

 

Image Processing Systems Institute оf RAS, – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS, Samara, Russia,
Samara National Research University, Samara, Russia

Full text of article: English language.

Abstract:
Using simplified Richards-Wolf formulas we show that laser light with azimuthal polarization and singular phase can produce a smaller focal spot than that from a laser beam with radial polarization, other conditions remaining the same. It is numerically shown that when focusing an  azimuthally polarized laser beam with phase singularity using a zone plate a 1.3 times smaller focal spot can be attained than when an aplanatic lens is used. A spiral phase plate can be replaced with a phase step with a π-phase shift. In this case the subwavelength focal spot from a laser beam with azimuthal polarization, which is formed near the zone plate surface, loses circular symmetry, while becoming smaller and acquiring an elliptical form with radiuses of 0.273λ and 0.314λ (NA = 1).

Keywords:
zone plate, polarization conversion, diffraction grating.

Citation:
Kotlyar VV, Nalimov AG. Tightly focused laser light with azimuthal polarization and singular phase. Computer Optics 2016; 40(5): 642-648. DOI: 10.18287/2412-6179-2016-40-5-642-648.

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