Self-imaging, self-healing beams generated by photorefractive volume holography

Variable linear polarization of plane waves reconstructed via photorefractive volume holography

“…The beams interfere inside a y-cut 0.05% Fe: LiNbO3 with dimensions 1 cm × 1cm × 1 cm. The interference angle was replicated from the methods of Manigo and Guerrero [8], and a recording time of 15 mins was applied. The power of the input polarized light was measured after the first polarizer, and the diffracted light power was measured after the crystal.…”

A deformable annular slit for generating elliptical Bessel beams

“…Beyond 45 cm, core diameter is seen to decrease as the Bessel beam begins to decay upon approaching its maximum propagation distance. 15,34) In Bessel beams generated by an axicon, lengthening of the core in one direction is caused by an asymmetric spherical tip surface. 20) With our deformable annular slit, stretching the aperture introduces the asymmetry required to create elliptical central spots.…”

“…Annular slits have received much interest in the context of generating Bessel beams. 14,15) Bessel beams have been extensively studied due to many potential applications in optical micromanipulation made possible by the beams' propagation-invariant transverse profiles and self-healing properties. 16,17) In particular, specially formed elliptical Bessel beams have been employed in laser processing of nanochannels, 18) second-harmonic generation, 19) and bulk modification of glasses.…”