Electromagnetic diffraction theory of refractive axicon lenses

We study the field that is produced by a paraxial refractive axicon lens. The results from geometrical optics, scalar wave optics, and electromagnetic diffraction theory are compared. In particular, the axial intensity, the on-axis effective wavelength, the transverse intensity, and the far-zone field are examined. A rigorous electromagnetic diffraction analysis shows that the state of polarization of the incident beam strongly affects the transverse intensity distribution, but not the intensity distribution in the far zone. (C) 2017 Optical Society of America