Theoretical analysis for best defocus measurement plane for robust phase retrieval

We study the phase retrieval (PR) technique using through-focus intensity measurements and explain the dependence of PR on the defocus distance. An optimal measurement plane in the out-of-focus region is identified where the intensity distribution on the optical axis drops to the first minimum after focus. Experimental results confirm the...

Through-focus phase retrieval and its connection to the spatial correlation for propagating fields

Through-focus phase retrieval methods aim to retrieve the phase of an optical field from its intensity distribution measured at different planes in the focal region. By using the concept of spatial correlation for propagating fields, for both the complex amplitude and the intensity of a field, we can infer which planes are suitable to retrieve...

Interferometric coherent Fourier scatterometry: a method for obtaining high sensitivity in the optical inverse-grating problem

Phase anomalies in Bessel-Gauss beams

Bessel-Gauss beams are known as non-diffracting beams. They can be obtained by focusing an annularly shaped collimated laser beam. Here, we report for the first time on the direct measurement of the phase evolution of such beams by relying on longitudinal-differential interferometry. We found that the characteristics of Bessel-Gauss beams cause...

An innovative and efficient method to control the shape of push-pull membrane deformable mirror

We carry out performance characterisation of a commercial push and pull deformable mirror with 48 actuators (Adaptica Srl). We present a detailed description of the system as well as a statistical approach on the identification of the mirror influence function. A new efficient control algorithm to induce the desired wavefront shape is also...

Near-field self-induced hollow spot through localized heating of polycarbonate/ZnS stack layer

We have found an alternative way of achieving a doughnutlike focused spot by simply melting a subwavelength scatterer in a polycarbonate/ZnS sample. The near-field microscopy technique is used to directly measure the induced doughnut spot in the near-field regime. A numerical model based on rigorous solution of the Maxwell’s equations is...

Submicron hollow spot generation by solid immersion lens and structured illumination

We report on the experimental and numerical demonstration of immersed submicron-size hollow focused spots, generated by structuring the polarization state of an incident light beam impinging on a micro-size solid immersion lens (?-SIL) made of SiO2. Such structured focal spots are characterized by a doughnut-shaped intensity distribution, whose...

Restoration of s-polarized evanescent waves and subwavelength imaging by a single dielectric slab

It was predicted a few years ago that a medium with negative index of refraction would allow for perfect imaging. Although no material has been found so far that behaves as a perfect lens, some experiments confirmed the theoretical predictions in the near-field, or quasi-static, regime where the behaviour of a negative index medium can be...

Direct measurement of the near-field super resolved focused spot in InSb

Under appropriate laser exposure, a thin film of InSb exhibits a sub-wavelength thermally modified area that can be used to focus light beyond the diffraction limit. This technique, called Super-Resolution Near-Field Structure, is a potential candidate for ultrahigh density optical data storage and many other high-resolution applications. We...

Determination of wavefront structure for a HartmannWavefront Sensor using a phase-retrieval method

We apply a phase retrieval algorithm to the intensity pattern of a Hartmann wavefront sensor to measure with enhanced accuracy the phase structure of a Hartmann hole array. It is shown that the rms wavefront error achieved by phase reconstruction is one order of magnitude smaller than the one obtained from a typical centroid algorithm....

Performance analysis of coherent optical scatterometry

Scatterometry is a well established technique currently utilized in research, as well as in industrial applications, to retrieve the properties of a given scatterer (the target) by looking at how the light coming from a certain source is diffracted in the far field. Currently the light source is often a discharge lamp that, after wavelength...

On focused fields with maximum electric field components and images of electric dipoles

We study focused fields which, for a given total power and a given numerical aperture, have maximum electric field amplitude in some direction in the focal point and are linearly polarized along this direction. It is shown that the optimum field is identical to the image of an electric dipole with unit magnification. In particular, the field...

Coherent transient phenomena in quantum systems by spatially shaping femtosecond optical pulses

Providing a femtosecond optical pulse with a proper transverse spatial profile represents a fast and relatively simple method to force a quantum system to follow a prescribed temporal evolution. In the present work, we show that the quantum system presents a surprisingly high sensitivity with respect to the spatial shape of the pulse. We discuss...

Focused fields of given power with maximum electric field components

Closed formulas are derived for the field in the focal region of a diffraction limited lens, such that the electric field component in a given direction at the focal point is larger than that of all other focused fields with the same power in the entrance pupil of the lens. Furthermore, closed formulas are derived for the corresponding optimum...

Field in Focus with a Maximum Longitudinal Electric Component

Closed formulas are presented for the field in the lens pupil for which the longitudinal electric component at the focal point is larger than any other focused field with the same power. The fullwidth-at-half-maximum of the squared amplitude of the maximum longitudinal component is 15% to 30% less than that of the classical Airy spot.