Anomaly in a high-numerical-aperture diffractive focusing lens

Opt Lett. 2000 Apr 1;25(7):439-41. doi: 10.1364/ol.25.000439.

Abstract

We show an anomalous behavior in a diffractive lens in which the spot size at the focus reaches a minimum at a numerical aperture of ~0.5 and then increases significantly at higher values. Theoretical and experimental results are presented, along with a comparison with refractive aplanatic lenses, in which the anomaly does not appear to exist.