An all fiber-based approach to generating special optical beams, called Bessel beams, could open up new applications in imaging, optical trapping and communications.

Bessel beams look quite different from the usual Gaussian light beams found in optics. In particular, they possess several interesting properties including self-healing, diffraction-free propagation and the ability to carry orbital angular momentum (OAM). This family of beams — also known as vortex beams with a characteristic ring-like shape and a dark central region — include different “orders” of beams carrying different values of OAM.

However, the creation of Bessel beams is somewhat inconvenient: several bulk optical elements, such as spatial light modulators or cone-shaped axicons, are needed to convert Gaussian beams to Bessel beams.

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Image: Illustration of the KAUST team's custom-engineered optical fiber, known as a Bessel beam, which they fabricated using a technique called two-photon lithography.
© 2022 KAUST; Andrea Bertoncini