Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Transmission of Multiple Signals through an Optical Fiber Using Wavefront Shaping
Published on: March 20, 2017
Phase encoding for sharper focus of the azimuthally polarized beam
Xiang Hao1, Cuifang Kuang, Tingting Wang
1State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
Abstract:
We demonstrate that a sharper focal spot area can be generated (0.147λ(2)) by using an azimuthally polarized beam propagating through a vortex 0-2π phase plate than for radial polarization (0.17λ(2)) or for linear polarization (0.26λ(2)) under the same condition. Further research illustrates that such optimistic results can still be expected when condition limitations are liberalized. This will facilitate new approaches to get superresolution in confocal systems.
Related Concept Videos
Group Polarization
Insensitive Nuclei Enhanced by Polarization Transfer (INEPT)
¹³C NMR: Distortionless Enhancement by Polarization Transfer (DEPT)
Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...

