The focal intensity distribution of strongly focused (NA=0.9) first order Laguerre-Gaussian doughnut beams is investigated experimentally for three different polarizations: linear, and left-handed circular and right-handed circular. The investigations are done by 2-dimensional scanning the focal plane with of a 100nm diameter fluorescent microbead, and measuring the fluorescence signal. The results are shown to be in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions, and demonstrate the superiority of one of the circular polarizations to achieve a sharp dark central spot.

No abstract

Recently, Dorn et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 233901 (2003)] demonstrated the significance of radially polarized doughnut beams in obtaining very small focal spots (with an area of approximately 0.26 lambda2) with high-numerical-aperture (NA) aplanatic microscope objectives. We propose two simple alternative ways to focus such radially polarized beams: a parabolic mirror and a flat diffractive lens. Because of their large apodization factor for a high NA, a significant further reduction in spot area (up to a factor of 1.76 at a NA of 1) compared with the aplanatic system can be achieved.

The properties of the focal spot for 4pi focusing with radially polarized light are presented for various apodization factors. With a focusing system satisfying the Herschel condition, sharp focal spots with almost-perfect spherical symmetry (leading to equal axial and transverse resolution) and extremely low sidelobes are achieved.

The properties of the focal spot for 4pi focusing with radially polarized first-order Laguerre-Gaussian beams are calculated. It is shown that a focal spot that has an extremely sharp dark region at the center and an almost-perfect spherical symmetry can be achieved. When such a hollow dark spherical spot is used in 4pi fluorescence depletion microscopy, an axial FWHM spot size of approximately 39 nm and a transverse FWHM spot size of approximately 64 nm can be achieved simultaneously in a practical system.