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Updated: May 16, 2026

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry

Published on: August 12, 2013

Bessel-like optical beams with arbitrary trajectories.

Ioannis D Chremmos¹, Zhigang Chen, Demetrios N Christodoulides

¹Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Crete, Heraklion 71409, Greece. jochremm@central.ntua.gr

|December 4, 2012

Summary

Researchers developed a novel method to create Bessel-like optical beams that follow custom paths in free space. These beams resist diffraction and self-heal, offering unique properties for light manipulation.

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Area of Science:

Optics and Photonics
Wave Phenomena

Background:

Traditional optical beams often diverge or accelerate, limiting their applications.
Controlling light propagation with precise trajectories remains a significant challenge in optical physics.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose and demonstrate a method for generating optical beams with arbitrary, pre-defined trajectories.
To create beams that exhibit Bessel-like properties, including diffraction resistance and self-healing capabilities.

Main Methods:

Phase-modulating an optical wavefront to form conical ray bundles.
Designing the apexes of these cones to trace a specified focal curve.
Utilizing the interference of these ray cones to form the desired beam profile.

Main Results:

Successfully generated Bessel-like optical beams propagating along arbitrary trajectories in free space.
Demonstrated that the generated beams maintain a remarkably invariant main lobe along their path.
Observed diffraction-resisting and self-healing properties characteristic of Bessel beams.

Conclusions:

The proposed method offers a versatile approach to controlling optical beam trajectories.
These novel beams serve as hybrids between non-accelerating and accelerating waves, expanding possibilities in optical applications.
The technique holds potential for applications requiring robust light propagation over complex paths.