| Abstract [eng] |
The notion of structured light refers to its modulation in various degrees of freedom such as phase, amplitude, polarization, pulse length and frequency. Spatial structure of light can be conveniently controlled using diffractive optical elements, spatial light modulators, or geometrical phase elements. Among the shaped light fields, a class known as nondiffracting beams has contributed greatly to recent developments in high-power applications such as laser micromachining. The notorious Bessel and Airy beams exhibit characteristics such as self-healing and resistance to diffraction. However, the ability to further shape their transverse and longitudinal intensity distributions is also desirable. In this dissertation, the research focuses on the creation of spatially structured light beams having continuous intensity distributions. Methods to create complex light structures by the superposition of several nondiffractive beams are presented. Furthermore, the ability to use such beams in high-power laser setups is discussed and the performance of the selected beams for transparent material modification is presented. The results of this thesis showed how the structures of the superimposed beams depend on the parameters of the constituent beams and that the modifications inside transparent materials are determined by the geometry of the beam together with the lasing parameters. |
