title: On the wavefront spacing of focused, radially polarized beams.
abstract: We analyze the phase behavior of strongly focused, radially polarized electromagnetic fields. It is shown that, under certain circumstances, the spacing between successive wavefronts can be either greater or smaller than that of a plane wave of the same frequency. Also, this spacing can be significantly larger than that which is predicted for a linearly polarized field that is focused by the same system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Free University, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. tvisser@nat.vu.nl
authors.forename: Taco D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Foley