Constructing ultra-long focal fields via tightly focused Bessel beams

We numerically demonstrate that the tight focusing of Bessel beams can generate focal fields with an ultra-long depth of focus (DOF). The ultra-long focal field can be controlled by appropriately regulating the order of the Bessel function and the polarization. An optical needle and an optical dark channel with nearly 100λ DOF are generated. The optical needle has a DOF of ∼104.9λ and a super-diffraction-limited focal spot with the size of 0.19λ2. The dark channel has a full-width at half-maximum of ∼0.346λ and a DOF of ∼103.8λ. Furthermore, the oscillating focal field with an ultra-long DOF can be also generated by merely changing the order of the input Bessel beam. Our results are expected to contribute to potential applications in optical tweezers, atom guidance and capture, and laser processing.