Open AccessBroadband spatiotemporal axicon fields
Author(s) -
Rahul Dutta,
Kimmo Saastamoinen,
Jari Turunen,
Ari T. Friberg
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.22.025015
Subject(s) - axicon , optics , broadband , coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) , spatial frequency , physics , transverse plane , spatial coherence , near and far field , laser , laser beams , structural engineering , quantum mechanics , engineering
We study the properties of broadband optical fields produced by two classes of axicons: reflective axicons creating fields with a frequency-independent cone angle, and diffractive axicons that generate fields with frequency-independent transverse scale. We also consider two different types of illumination: spectrally completely coherent pulses and spectrally incoherent (stationary) light assuming that the spectra are the same in both situations. In the former case we evaluate the spatiotemporal shape of the output field, and in the latter case its spatiotemporal coherence properties. Physical reasons for the substantially different fields produced by the two types of axicons are identified. Our results are useful for optical applications in which joint spatial and temporal field localization is desired.