Digital generation of shape-invariant Bessel-like beams

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics

Background:

• Bessel beams are known for their non-diffracting properties but are typically confined to limited propagation distances.
• Existing methods to extend Bessel beam propagation often involve complex multi-element refractive systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a generalized, simplified approach for creating shape-invariant Bessel-like beams.
• To experimentally validate a method using a single phase-only element for extended Bessel beam generation.

Main Methods:

• A generalized theoretical framework was developed for designing phase-only elements.
• Experimental demonstration was performed using a phase-only spatial light modulator to generate the proposed Bessel-like beams.

Main Results:

• The single phase-only element successfully generated shape-invariant Bessel-like beams.
• Experimental results closely matched theoretical predictions, confirming the efficacy of the approach.

Conclusions:

• This study presents an easy-to-implement method for generating long-range, shape-invariant Bessel-like beams.
• The single-element approach offers a significant advancement over complex refractive systems for Bessel beam generation.