An axicon lens is a specialized type of lens which has a conical surface. An axicon images a point source into a line along the optic axis, or transforms a laser beam into a ring. It can be used to turn a Gaussian beam into an approximation to a Bessel beam, with greatly reduced diffraction. Axicons lenses are used in atomic traps and for generating plasma in linear accelerators. They are used in eye surgery in cases where a ring-shaped spot is useful. Axicon lens is usually characterized by the ratio of the diameter of the ring to the distance from the lens tip to image plane.
Applications:
• Laser Drilling/Optical Trepanning
• Optical Trapping
• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
• Corneal Surgery
• Telescopes
• Solar Concentrators
• Laser Resonators
• Gradient index, grating axicons
• Breakdown in light filaments
• Illumination
