Abstract

This paper discusses the sharp focusing of homogeneously polarized laser beams in a uniaxial crystal. It is shown analytically and numerically that, when homogeneously polarized radiation is sharply focused along the axis of a crystal, two foci are formed, corresponding to the ordinary and extraordinary rays. The introduction of a vortex phase into the incident beam results in the formation of zero intensity at the center of the focus of the ordinary rays and a longitudinal electric-field component at the center of the focus of the extraordinary rays. The contribution of the longitudinal component is greater, the sharper the focusing. With circular polarization, larger amplification of the longitudinal component is observed, and its intensity becomes comparable with that of the transverse components. This results in the formation of a focus of the extraordinary rays with a flat vertex.

© 2015 Optical Society of America

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