Abstract
Lens axicons, i.e., lenses or lens systems designed to work like axicons, can be a simple and inexpensive way of generating the characteristic axicon focal line. In the design of most lens axicons, only on-axis properties have been considered. We present the design of a lens axicon with improved off-axis characteristics. It is constructed from a singlet lens but with a double-pass feature that allows for a line of uniform width and a stop positioned to minimize aberrations. We perform off-axis analysis and experiments for this system and for another lens axicon, one designed for its on-axis characteristics. We conclude that the off-axis performance of the double-pass axicon is better than both that of an ordinary cone axicon and that of the other lens axicon.
© 2007 Optical Society of America
Full Article | PDF ArticleMore Like This
Anna Burvall, Katarzyna Kołacz, Zbigniew Jaroszewicz, and Ari T. Friberg
Appl. Opt. 43(25) 4838-4844 (2004)
Alexander V. Goncharov, Anna Burvall, and Christopher Dainty
Appl. Opt. 46(24) 6076-6080 (2007)
Anna Thaning, Zbigniew Jaroszewicz, and Ari T. Friberg
Appl. Opt. 42(1) 9-17 (2003)