Range-finding by triangulation with nondiffracting beams.

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.

Nondiffracting interference patterns generated with programmable spatial light modulators.

Nondiffracting beams are of interest for optical metrology applications because the size and shape of the beams do not change as the beams propagate. We have created a generating pattern consisting of a linear combination of two nondiffracting patterns. This pattern forms a nondiffracting interference pattern that appears as a circular array of nondiffracting spots.

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

Nondiffracting beams are of interest for optical metrology applications because the size of the beam does not change as the beam propagates. However, accuracy can be increased if the diameter of the beam is smaller. One technique for accomplishing this is to use the dark axial intensity profile associated with a higher-order nondiffracting Bessel function beam.

Diffraction theory of optimized low-resolution Fresnel encoded lenses.

A mathematical model describing the behavior of low-resolution Fresnel encoded lenses (LRFEL's) encoded in any low-resolution device (e.g., a spatial light modulator) has recently been developed.