Application Example: Bessel Beam Generation

Bessel beams are a special type of light propagation that does not diffract. The light distribution of a Bessel beam maintains a tight focus with high irradiance over great distances. Bessel beams are also self-healing, which means that the light pattern will regenerate after being partially obstructed. Such properties make this phenomenon useful for optical trapping and tweezing, high-precision drilling, and communication applications. In this example FRED will be used to generate a pseudo-Bessel beam using an axicon.