title: Intracavity generation of radially polarized CO2 laser beams based on a simple binary dielectric diffraction grating.
abstract: We present experimental results on the intracavity generation of radially polarized light by incorporation of a polarization-selective mirror in a CO(2)-laser resonator. The selectivity is achieved with a simple binary dielectric diffraction grating etched in the backsurface of the mirror substrate. Very high polarization selectivity was achieved, and good agreement of simulation and experimental results is shown. The overall radial polarization purity of the generated laser beam was found to be higher than 90%.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Jürg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balmer
authors.forename: Danaë
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Delbeke
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muys
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verstuyft
authors.forename: Roel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baets