Optical tweezers, scientific instruments that utilize highly focused beams to manipulate objects on a sub-microscopic level, can be used to hold individual cells or molecules and have therefore been used for many applications in biology, medicine and nano-chemistry.
To ensure proper functionality of these setups, the beam employed needs to have a stable structure throughout the focusing process. While multiple different fundamental Gaussian, Hermite- or Laguerre-Gaussian modes are good candidates for the task, a setup first proposed by Chu et al. [Opt. Express 16, 19934-19949 (2008)] uses Ince-Gaussian beams, as they are able to create stable 2D-light patterns of increasing complexity.
In the fast physical optics modeling and design software VirtualLab Fusion, the Ince-Gaussian source allows the user to easily configure a custom Ince-Gaussian Mode and use it as a source for their system. Combining this source with a non-sequential modeling approach we demonstrate a full simulation of the system proposed by Chu et al. Please also find below a detailed document describing the functionality and usage of the Ince-Gaussian beam source.
Observation of Vortex-Array Laser-Beam Generation from Ince-Gaussian Beam
This document illustrates the generation of vortex-array laser beams using an Ince-Gaussian source with a Dove prism-embedded unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer, as first proposed by Chu et al. [Opt. Express 16, 19934-19949 (2008)].
Ince-Gaussian modes constitute an additional solution for the paraxial wave equation. This use case demonstrates the functionality of the Ince Gaussian Mode Source, which can be used to include these modes in an optical system.
