Beam profile engineering, where a desired optical intensity distribution is generated by phase shifting and/or amplitude changing elements, is a promising approach in various laser-related applications. For example, vector geometrical phase elements enable various flat special optical elements such as top-hat converters. We present a study on engineering efficient top-hat converters inscribed in the glass by femtosecond laser pulses. We start with an amplitude encoded top hat converter and demonstrate how its efficiency can be further increased by introduction of phase masks and by the polarization of the incident beam. Experimental verification of the concept is also presented.
Zeroth order Bessel beams are widely used in laser micromachining of transparent materials. The small diameter of central core and elongated focus enables to generate high aspect ratio voids. The simplest way to generate this beam is to induce a conical shape phase with an axicon. However, the quality of the axicon tip is very crucial to generate smooth Bessel beams since it is known that a blunt axicon tip induces large intensity modulation in propagation direction. Alternative Bessel beam generation method is to use a Diffractive Optical Elements (DOEs) that do not suffer from previously mentioned problem. In this work we demonstrate generation of a zeroth order Bessel beam with Geometric Phase Optical Elements (GPOEs) (manufactured by Workshop of Photonics) acting as a diffractive beam shaping element. Having absolute control of induced beam phase, we have modified mask phase so that half of it had additional phase shift or spatial transposition resulting in creation of fanciful induced beam phase patterns. With the use of laser beam propagation numerical modeling we show that these new phase masks can create various beam transverse intensity patterns such as asymmetrical central core, generation of multiple peaks or even large rings that are highly demanded for various laser micromachining applications. We have chosen couple of most perspective beam shapes and manufactured GPOEs to generate them. The experimentally generated beams were compared to numerical simulations. As the GPOEs are able to work with high power pulses we have also investigated induced transparent material modifications.
Long focal lines with transverse spot sizes as small as a few wavelengths are called optical needles. A zeroth order Bessel beam being a good example is widely used in such applications as laser micromachining. In practice Bessel beam generated with an axicon has a peak in axial intensity distribution and is not only due to aberrations caused by planar dielectric material interface. Here, we investigate optical needles with controlled axial intensity distribution via intensity modulation of the incoming beam. We have chosen to generate constant axial intensity Bessel beam and propose spatial transmission mask to do so. Experimental verification is presented using diffractive optics elements based on Pancharatnam-Berry phase. We demonstrate a flattening of the axial intensity profile of the Bessel beam without the alteration to the optical needle diameter.
Ultrafast laser direct writing is a fascinating technology which emerged more than two decades from fundamental studies of material resistance to high-intensity optical fields. Its development saw the discovery of many puzzling phenomena and demonstration of useful applications. Today, ultrafast laser writing is seen as a technology with great potential and is rapidly entering the industrial environment. Whereas, less than 10 years ago, ultrafast lasers were still confined within the research labs. This talk will overview some of the unique features of ultrafast lasers and give examples of its applications in optical data storage, polarization control and optical fibers.
We show a method to form radially and azimuthally polarized beams as well as higher order polarization singularities by superposition of optical vortices with opposite topological charges obtained by optical parametric amplification. The proposed method could find applications in optical trapping of particles, nonlinear optics experiments, and laser material processing.
In this work we present a beam shaping technique based on a spatially variable phase retardation plate inscribed inside bulk of fused silica glass by femtosecond laser pulses. Formation of self-assembled periodic nanostructures was exploited to fabricate the converter. During the fabrication process we control induced nanogratings orientation and retardance. Combination of a spatially variable waveplate and a polarizer acts as a spatially variable transmission filter. With a converter fabricated to transform an initially Gaussian beam to a flat-top beam we preserve more than 50% of initial laser power. Theoretically, the efficiency of the proposed converter could be up to 70%. The proposed converter with no absorbing elements possesses resistance to optical damage similar to that of fused silica. Additionally, the already-fabricated converter allows for on-the-fly adjustment of the beam shape from flat-top to a shape with a dip in the middle. The shaped beam was tested in a high power picosecond pulse amplifier.
We report optical characterization of the different optical components fabricated in transparent materials by bulk refractive index modification or surface ablation by femtosecond pulses. The methods used for characterization of the components with refractive index modification fabricated in fused silica by high repetition rate femtosecond KGW:Yb laser were transmission and diffraction measurements at 532 and 632.8 nm wavelengths, and total integrated scattering (TIS) at 532 mn wavelength. The combined characterization methods were sufficient for modification process optimization and allowed creation of the Bragg gratings with diffraction efficiency in range from 55 to 90% and low scattering losses. The forward and backward TIS measurements of the radial polarization converter showed that forward scattering is more than five times as high as backward scattering. Solar cells with modified surface by femtosecond pulse ablation were investigated by TIS and Volt-Ampere measurements. The current increase is registered with growth of the scattering loses in the solar cells.
We report first experimental evidences of spatial filtering of light beams in three-dimensional photonic crystals. The
photonic crystals were fabricated in a glass bulk, where refractive index was modified by applying femtosecond laser
pulses. We observe the modification of the angular spectra (the far field) in the central diffraction maximum of the
transmitted radiation in accordance with the theory of spatial filtering.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.