Nanosecond Laser Fabrication of Dammann Grating-like Structure on Glass for Bessel-Beam Array Generation

The generation of optical beam arrays with prospective uses within the realms of microscopy, photonics, non-linear optics, and material processing often requires Dammann gratings. Here, we report the direct fabrication of one- and two-dimensional Dammann grating-like structures on soda lime glass using a nanosecond pulsed laser beam with a 1064 nm wavelength. Using the fabricated grating, an axicon lens, and an optical magnification system, we propose a scheme of generation of a diverging array of zero-order Bessel beams with a sub-micron-size central core, extending longitudinally over several hundred microns. Two different grating fabrication strategies are also proposed to control the number of Bessel beams in an array. It was demonstrated that Bessel beams of 12 degrees conical half-angle in an array of up to [5 x 5] dimensions can be generated using a suitable combination of Dammann grating, axicon lens and focusing optics.