Structured Light by linking together diffraction-resistant spatially shaped beams: "LEGO-BEAMS"

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method to create complex structured light beams called 'Lego-beams' by linking diffraction-resistant cylindrical beams, with experimental validation and potential applications across various optical fields.

Contribution

The paper presents a new theoretical and experimental approach to generate customizable structured light beams by connecting resistant beams, expanding possibilities for optical manipulation and advanced photonics.

Findings

Successfully generated complex 'Lego-beams' experimentally

Demonstrated versatile configurations of structured light

Potential applications in optical trapping and quantum optics

Abstract

In this paper we present a theoretical method, together with its experimental confirmation, to obtain structures of light by connecting diffraction-resistant cylindrical beams of finite lengths and different radii. The resulting "Lego-beams" can assume, on demand, various unprecedented spatial configurations. We also experimentally generate some of them on using a computational holographic technique and a spatial light modulator. Our new, interesting method of linking together various "pieces of light" can find applications in all fields where structured light beams are needed: in particular, such as optical tweezers, e.g. for biological manipulations, optical guiding of atoms, light orbital angular momentum control, holography, lithography, non-linear-optics, interaction of electromagnetic radiation with Bose-Einstein condensates, and so on, besides the field in general of Localized Waves (non-diffracting beams and pulses).