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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Whole Mount Imaging to Visualize and Quantify Peripheral Lens Structure, Cell Morphology, and Organization
Published on: January 19, 2024
Lens axicons in oblique illumination
Anna Burvall1, Katarzyna Kołacz, Alexander V Goncharov
1Department of Experimental Physics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. anna.burvall@nuigalway.ie
This study presents a novel double-pass lens axicon design for improved off-axis performance. Experiments show this new lens axicon generates a uniform focal line with better off-axis characteristics than traditional designs.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Optical Engineering
Background:
- Lens axicons offer a cost-effective method for generating axicon focal lines.
- Existing lens axicon designs primarily focus on on-axis performance, neglecting off-axis behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and evaluate a lens axicon with enhanced off-axis characteristics.
- To compare the off-axis performance of the novel design against conventional axicons.
Main Methods:
- A double-pass lens axicon system was designed using a singlet lens with a specific stop placement.
- Off-axis analysis and experimental validation were conducted for the proposed system.
- Performance comparison with an on-axis optimized lens axicon and a cone axicon.
Main Results:
- The double-pass lens axicon successfully generates a uniform width focal line.
- The proposed design demonstrates superior off-axis performance compared to the other tested axicons.
- Aberrations were minimized through strategic stop positioning.
Conclusions:
- The double-pass lens axicon design significantly improves off-axis beam shaping capabilities.
- This novel design offers a practical solution for applications requiring high-quality axicon focal lines with off-axis precision.
- The double-pass axicon outperforms both standard lens axicons and cone axicons in off-axis scenarios.
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