Axicon

Axicon lens also known as conical lens or rotationally symmetric prism is widely used in different scientific research and application. Axicon can be used to convert a parallel laser beam into a ring, to create a non diffractive Bessel beam or to focus a parallel beam into long focus depth.
OpticsLand, a precision optics division of Del Mar Ventures, supplies axicons with cone angles range from 140° to 179.5° for use with virtually any laser radiation. We manufacture and supply axicons made from BK7 glass, fused silica and other materials.
Now you can buy a variety of axicons from stock directly on this web site! Buy axicons now!

Standard axicons (Buy now!)

Axicon cone angle equal to 180°-2a
 

Cone angle (°) a (°)
140 20
160 10
165 7.5
170 5
175 2.5
178 1
179.5 0.25 = 15'

Axicon design and analysis can be done using optical engineering software such as Zemax http://zemax.com/appnotes/modeling_axicons/ and TracePro from Lambda Research Corporation.

Trace Pro

Axicon Applications:

bullet to convert a parallel laser beam into a ring

In hyperopia correction research using of axicon lens helps to create a doughnut shaped ablation. Axicon lens extend peripheral ablations out to 6.5-mm to 9.5 mm zone of the eye, while leaving the center zone unaffected.


Researches from Physikalisch-Chemisches-Institut, Heidelberg, Germany use axicon lens in laser diagnostics of the mechanical properties of thin films and solids by surface wave spectroscopy.
Laser radiation is focused on the surfaces in concentric ring. Amplitude of the concentric surface acoustic wave generated by the laser pulse will reach maximum value in the center of the ring. Using this approach it’s possible to study mechanical properties of the materials under extreme conditions.

Gottfried Lehmann
Physikalisch-Chemisches-Institut, Heidelberg, Germany
Gottfried.Lehmann@ix.urz.uni-heidelberg.de
More details about Laser diagnostics of the mechanical properties of thin films and solids by surface wave spectroscopy can be found at http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/institute/fak12/PC/hess/frame_members.html

bullet to create a non diffractive Bessel beam

“In our group the axicons will be used to study the conversion of a XeCl laser beam into a non diffractive Bessel beam to generate a laser induced plasma. Also we study the conversion of the beam into a “Light-tube” using the second axicon. Finally we will make an annular focus for a hole drilling application.”

Dr.F.A.van Goor,
Quantum electronics group, Department of Applied Physics University of Twente,The Netherlands.

e-mail: F.A.vanGoor@tn.utwente.nl

bullet to focus a parallel beam into long focus depth

Researches at Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic, Irvine, California use the axicon to focus a parallel beam into long focus depth as well as high confined lateral spot to develop a novel optical coherence tomographic (OCT) system.

"In our application, we would like to use the axicon to focus a parallel beam into long focus depth as well as high confined lateral spot." Zhihua Ding, Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic, Irvine, California, e-mail: zhding@laser.bli.uci.edu

Recent publication from this group describing axicon use is available here.

bullet in holographic data storage research

Inphase Technologies researches use axicons in holographic data storage. They wish to determine the effects of axicons on the Fourier distribution of the random binary data spectrum of a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM).

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