Axicon-based beam shaping for low-loss nonlinear microscopic optics

Abstract

Low-loss and broadband optics is important in optical measurement and imaging. Here, we design an axicon-based beam shaper for low-loss and broadband microscopic optics by numerically calculating the transmittance and focusing performance, assuming an application to stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy. Furthermore, we demonstrate the beam shaper equipped in an SRS microscope and confirm that the axicon-based optics increases transmittance without sacrificing spatial resolution or signal intensity.