Abstract

An aberrated laser beam will change shape as it propagates. We can use this phenomenon to transform a collimated, uniform-intensity, round beam into a square beam with rounded corners and a fairly uniform intensity. The square beam can be recollimated because no rays cross each other. A similar transformation that turns a circular beam into a trapezoidal shape with rounded corners has been found. These aberrating elements can be fabricated by using binary optics technology. [Opt. Eng. 31(2), 245]

© 1992 Optical Society of America