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Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Shaping the Amplitude and Phase of Laser Beams by Using a Phase-only Spatial Light Modulator
Published on: January 28, 2019
Reshaping a multimode laser beam into a constructed Gaussian beam for generating a thin light sheet
Saiedeh Saghafi1,2, Nikoo Haghi-Danaloo1, Klaus Becker1,2
1Department of Bioelectronics, FKE, Vienna University of Technology-TU Wien, Vienna, Austria.
Abstract:
Based on the modal analysis method, we developed a model that describes the output beam of a diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) laser emitting a multimode beam. Measuring the output beam profile in the near field and at the constructed far field the individual modes, their respective contributions, and their optical parameters are determined. Using this information, the beam is optically reshaped into a quasi-Gaussian beam by the interference and superposition of the various modes. This process is controlled by a mode modulator unit that includes different meso-aspheric elements and a soft-aperture. The converted beam is guided into a second optical unit comprising achromatic-aspheric elements to produce a thin light sheet for ultramicroscopy. We found that this light sheet is markedly thinner and exhibits less side shoulders compared with a light sheet directly generated from the output of a DPSS multimode laser.
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