Effect of vector asymmetry of radially polarized beams in solid immersion microscopy

Abdulkadir Yurt, Michael D W Grogan, Siddharth Ramachandran, Bennett B. Goldberg, M. Selim Unlu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

We theoretically and experimentally investigate the effect of imperfect vector symmetry on radially polarized beams focused by an aplanatic solid immersion lens at a numerical aperture of 3.3. We experimentally achieve circularly symmetric focused spot with a full-width-half-maximum of ∼λ0/5.7 at λ0 = 1310nm, free-space wavelength. The tight spatial confinement and overall circular symmetry of the focused radially polarized beam are found to be sensitive to perturbations of its cylindrical polarization symmetry. The addition of a liquid crystal based variable retarder to the optical path can effectively ensure the vector symmetry and achieve circularly symmetric focused spots at such high numerical aperture conditions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7320-7329
Number of pages10
JournalOptics Express
Volume22
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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