Abstract

Nondiffracting beams are useful for alignment applications because the size of the beam does not change as the beam propagates. In this research we report a technique that allows for distance measurements with nondiffracting beams. With our approach a diffractive optical element is designed that generates two off-axis, tilted, nondiffracting Bessel function beams. These beams intersect at a desired distance from the input plane, producing interference. We generate these Bessel function arrays with a programmable spatial light modulator allowing external control over the intersection distance.

© 1996 Optical Society of America

Intensity and phase measurements of nondiffracting beams generated with a magneto-optic spatial light modulator

Jeffrey A. Davis, E. Carcole, and Don M. Cottrell
Appl. Opt. 35(4) 593-598 (1996)

Nondiffracting interference patterns generated with programmable spatial light modulators

Jeffrey A. Davis, E. Carcole, and Don M. Cottrell
Appl. Opt. 35(4) 599-602 (1996)

Generation of long-range nondiffracting narrow light beams

Tadashi Aruga
Appl. Opt. 36(16) 3762-3768 (1997)

Holographic formation of a diode laser nondiffracting beam

R. P. MacDonald, J. Chrostowski, S. A. Boothroyd, and B. A. Syrett
Appl. Opt. 32(32) 6470-6474 (1993)

Generation of nondiffracting Bessel beam using digital micromirror device

Lei Gong, Yu-Xuan Ren, Guo-Sheng Xue, Qian-Chang Wang, Jin-Hua Zhou, Min-Cheng Zhong, Zi-Qiang Wang, and Yin-Mei Li
Appl. Opt. 52(19) 4566-4575 (2013)