Improving depth-of field in broadband THz beams using nondiffractive Bessel beams

We report new results related to imaging using broadband Bessel-like beams at the terahertz (THz) domain that were generated by use of axicons and pulsed THz radiation emitting at a bandwidth 0.1 to 1 THz. Such Bessel-like beams exhibit an invariant line of focus with an extended length compared to Gaussian-beams Rayleigh range, which enables imaging through the extended length. We demonstrate this imaging property using a resolution target illuminated by broadband-THz beams and show an improvement by a factor of 3.5 in imaging depth while using Bessel-like beams over Gaussian beams. Our results highlight the potential in using broadband THz radiation together with nondiffractive Bessel beams to significantly improve spatial separation over deep view. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America