Propagation features of beams with axially symmetric polarization

Abstract

The general solution of the wave equation for axially symmetric polarized (ASP) beams consists of two independent solutions: an azimuthally polarized beam and a beam with longitudinal and radial field components. The maximum of the longitudinal field is at the beam axis where the transverse component is equal to zero. While the longitudinal component is maximum in the waist it does not contribute to beam divergence here, and therefore the wavefront of ASP-beams is flat in the focal plane. The ASP-beams are free from polarization aberrations, which are inherent for linearly polarized beams passing through a lens with large annular apertures, and these beams are prospective for experiments on obtaining `diffraction-free' beams. The formulae and their electromagnetic field analysis in the case of sharp focusing of ASP-beams in the Debye approximation are presented.