Extreme focus of a radially polarized beam

In summary, the beam was focussed down to a single point and the energy was cancelled out, but because diffraction happens, there is always a bright diffraction ring around the centre.
  • #1
Pakano
3
0
What happen if a radially polarized beam is extremely focused to a single spot?
Is it disappeared because E-fields in opposite direction subtract each other?

004965_10_fig1.jpg
 
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  • #2
:welcome:
Are you asking about constructive / destructive interference?
 
  • #3
anorlunda said:
:welcome:
Are you asking about constructive / destructive interference?
Yes, does destructive interference happen when focusing a radially polarized beam?
 
  • #4
Could I re-word your idea a bit? You appear to be concerned that your image would appear to be focussed at a single point but that would involve the beam energy all being canceled out and it has to go somewhere so wtf?
Diffraction comes to your rescue. There is a limit to how small your 'single point' can be.
Addition of the field vectors depends on their direction and also on the exact point at which you are doing the calculation. The resultant of focussing all the parts of the beam will be the vector sum of all the elemental parts of the beam, at any point. But there is no single point where all the beam will focus; there is always a 'sinx/x' type pattern around the nominal focus point. If it's all symmetrical (for all three examples), I would expect to find a zero but, off axis, you will not get total cancellation and the energy would be diverted. However 'tight' you try to make the optics, there is always a finite beam width and the resulting image will have places where there is no cancellation
But the beam has a zero at its centre in any case, in your diagrams. Its image must also have zero value at the centre if it has circular symmetry. You will get a bright diffraction ring around the centre with a radius that's related to 1/d, where d is the aperture of your optics.
 
  • #5
  • #6
Thank you guys!
 

1. What is a radially polarized beam?

A radially polarized beam is a type of laser beam in which the electric field is oriented in a radial pattern, meaning it radiates outwards from the center of the beam. This is in contrast to a linearly polarized beam, where the electric field is oriented in a straight line.

2. How is a radially polarized beam created?

A radially polarized beam is typically created by using specialized optics, such as a spiral phase plate or a specially designed laser cavity, to manipulate the polarization of the laser beam. This allows for the electric field to be oriented in a radial pattern, resulting in a radially polarized beam.

3. What are the advantages of using a radially polarized beam?

One of the main advantages of using a radially polarized beam is its ability to achieve a higher degree of focus compared to other types of laser beams. This is due to the fact that the electric field is concentrated at the center of the beam, resulting in a smaller focal spot size. Additionally, radially polarized beams have been shown to have improved cutting and drilling capabilities in materials processing applications.

4. How does extreme focus of a radially polarized beam differ from regular focus?

Extreme focus of a radially polarized beam refers to the ability of the beam to achieve a much smaller focal spot size compared to regular focus. This is due to the concentrated electric field at the center of the beam, allowing for tighter focusing and higher precision in applications such as microscopy and nanofabrication.

5. What are some potential applications of extreme focus of a radially polarized beam?

Extreme focus of a radially polarized beam has a wide range of potential applications, including high-resolution microscopy, nanofabrication, and optical trapping. It can also be used in medical applications such as laser surgery and cancer treatment, as well as in telecommunications for high-speed data transmission.

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