Hybrid optics for focusing ultrashort laser pulses

Opt Lett. 2006 May 15;31(10):1516-8. doi: 10.1364/ol.31.001516.

Abstract

We present a specially designed hybrid optics comprising refraction and diffraction effects for tight spatial and temporal focusing of ultrashort laser pulses. Both aims can be put into practice by having a high numerical aperture (NA=0.45) and low internal dispersion at the same time. We are presenting what we believe is the first experimental realization of such a hybrid short plus focusing optics. The focusing properties are compared with a commonly used microscope objective (20 X, NA = 0.45) in theory and experimentally.