CPC G02B 27/0927 (2013.01) [G01B 11/26 (2013.01); G02B 27/0966 (2013.01)] | 21 Claims |
1. An optical system for producing a structured optical beam, the optical system comprising:
a convex ball lens comprising a spherical entry surface for imparting aberrations in an illuminating beam, the convex ball lens comprising a material having a refractive index of greater than 1.8;
an electromagnetic radiation source configured to provide a substantially coherent beam of electromagnetic radiation,
wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is arranged to produce the illuminating beam for illuminating the convex ball lens over a selected illumination fraction of the spherical entry surface and with a corresponding selected focus of the illuminating beam,
wherein the selected illumination fraction is selected, at least in part, on the corresponding selected focus of the illuminating beam and the refractive index of the material of the convex ball lens, causing the illuminating beam to traverse a sufficient refractive volume of the convex ball lens to impart aberrations in the illuminating beam emerging from the convex ball lens such that the illuminating beam comprises a structured optical beam; and
a focusing element arranged along an optical axis of the optical system,
wherein the aberrations imparted in the illuminating beam comprise spherical aberrations created by the convex ball lens, wherein the spherical aberrations create, at least in part, the structured optical beam.
|