Exploring the unlimited possibilities of modular aspheric Gauss to top-hat beam shaping

Abstract

Beam shaping is a field of research with growing importance. Therefore, a new refractive beam shaping system is presented. The knowledge gained from analyzing patent systems was used to derive our own improved design. It is compared to a patent system, and some selected results are presented in this work. Furthermore, possibilities to scale the entrance and exit beam diameters with the help of SPA™ Beam Expander Kit and SPA™ AspheriColl (both from asphericon GmbH, Jena, Germany) are shown, so that a modular top-hat generation is achievable. Additionally, the large spectral range in which the beam shaping system is applicable is demonstrated, and it is demonstrated how the beam shaping system can be used to improve the performance of other optical elements that require a top-hat beam profile.

High-Throughput, Low Background, and Wide-Field Microscopy by Flat-Field Photobleaching Imprinting Microscopy

“…There are three main strategies to achieve uniform illumination. One is based on a beamshaper. − However, this device is expensive, and its wavelength dependence makes the method unsuitable for multicolor imaging. The second strategy is based on the method of Kohler illumination, using a diffuser and a pair of microlens arrays to achieve a uniform distribution of light in the focal plane of the objective. , This method requires a complex optical design and is thus difficult to adopt in common laboratories.…”

Flat-field illumination for quantitative fluorescence imaging

“…Two laser sources (06-MLD 638 nm and 06-DPL 561 nm, Cobolt) were combined, split into two fiber couplers and delivered to the microscope. One output beam from a single-mode fiber (P5-630PM-FC-2, Thorlabs) was collimated with an achromatic lens (L1, f = 63.5 mm, #49-780, Edmund Optics) and sent to the beam shaper (TopShape, asphericon GmbH) where the input size was ~10 mm (1/e 2 ), but it is generally acceptable in a range between 9.2 mm and 10.8 mm 26 . Two mirrors (M1 and M2) served as four extra degrees of freedom to guide the beam into the TopShape.…”

“…Since the beam-shaping element (TopShape) is based on refraction, which causes a smooth redistribution of the beam intensity, the flat-top beam profile simulations can be performed using methods based on geometrical optics 26 . Here, the beam profile was calculated at a certain distance behind the beam shaping system before entering the microscope.…”

Parallel generation and coding of a terahertz pulse train

“…The zoomed-in top view clearly shows the precision of the pulse selection as well as the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of this demonstration in the central part of the pulse train. Indeed, the peripheral positions of the pulse train have a lower SNR than its central part, but this problem could be circumvented by using an appropriate shaping of the pump beam in square shape and top hat intensity [44].…”