title: High localization, focal depth and contrast by means of nonlinear Bessel beams.
abstract: We show an experimental and computational comparison between the resolution power, the contrast and the focal depth of a nonlinearly propagated diffraction-free beam and of other beams (a linear and a nonlinearly propagated Gaussian pulse): launching a nondiffractive Bessel pulse in a solution of Coumarine 120 in methanol creates a high contrast, 40 mm long, 10 microm width fluorescence channel excited by 3-photon absorption process. This fluorescence channel exhibits the same contrast and resolution of a tightly focused Gaussian pulse, but reaches a focal depth that outclasses by orders of magnitude that reached by an equivalent Gaussian pulse.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Polesana
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Faccio
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Trapani
authors.forename: Audrius
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dubietis
authors.forename: Algis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piskarskas
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Couairon
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Porras