Volume holography with Bessel-like reference beams
Abstract
We report volume holographic recording and reconstruction of plane waves using Bessel-like reference beams. A photorefractive lithium niobate crystal (0.05% Fe:LiNbO3) is employed as the holographic medium in a two-wave mixing set-up. The reconstructed plane wave has the same appearance as a Bessel beam, displaying a central maximum and concentric rings. Over a propagation range of 10 to 50 cm, the central intensity is observed to oscillate between maximum and zero intensity. The holographic reconstruction is capable of self-healing and propagation properties are preserved even with the use of a partially blocked readout beam. A theoretical framework based on the interference of a plane wave and a Bessel beam simultaneously reconstructed from a volume hologram is able to describe our experimental results.
