Nearly diffraction-limited focusing of a fiber axicon microlens

We report a simple method of generating nearly diffraction-limited focused spot with a fiber axicon microlens. It is fabricated at the end of a commercially available single-mode optical fiber by the selective chemical etching method that allows fine control of the cone angle of the fiber. The walking distance of the microlens is estimated to be similar to1 mum, which is measured by the photoluminescence from semiconductor single quantum dots. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.