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Updated: Nov 30, 2025

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry
Published on: August 12, 2013
Bessel Beam: Significance and Applications-A Progressive Review
Svetlana Nikolaevna Khonina1,2, Nikolay Lvovich Kazanskiy1,2, Sergey Vladimirovich Karpeev1,2
1Department of Technical Cybernetics, Samara National Research University, 443086 Samara, Russia.
This review explores Bessel beams, which resist diffraction, offering advantages over Gaussian beams. Their unique properties enable diverse applications, from optical trapping to secure communication.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Wave Phenomena
Background:
- Diffraction is a fundamental wave property occurring when light encounters obstacles, altering its amplitude and phase.
- Non-diffractive beams, such as Bessel beams, exhibit remarkable resistance to diffraction, making them advantageous over traditional Gaussian beams.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive review of non-diffractive Bessel beams.
- To highlight the diverse and significant applications of Bessel beams in various scientific and commercial fields.
Main Methods:
- This paper is a review, synthesizing existing research on Bessel beams.
- Key applications are discussed, supported by explanations of their underlying principles.
Main Results:
- Bessel beams demonstrate significant resistance to diffraction, maintaining their structure over distance.
- Numerous applications are detailed, including optical trapping, material processing, and advanced imaging techniques like optical coherence tomography.
- Emerging uses in superresolution, sharp focusing, polarization control, and optical encryption are also presented.
Conclusions:
- Bessel beams are a powerful tool in optics, offering unique solutions to challenges posed by diffraction.
- Their versatility supports a wide array of current and future technological advancements.
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