Eugene Kowaluk

Graxicon, 2015

Photograph
Nikon D800 DSLR camera; 70-180mm Micro-NIKKOR lens;
lighting provided by six fiber optic modifiers; file processed with Adobe Photoshop

Optics and Imaging Sciences Group
Laboratory for Laser Energetics
University of Rochester
Rochester, New York, United States

In this image, brilliant colors illustrate the complex interaction between the diffractive and refractive axicons that constitute a Graxicon, a unique optical material developed by the Optics and Imaging Sciences Group at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics of the University of Rochester. The Graxicon can be designed to provide rapid focal-spot zooming to increase laser coupling to fusion targets or to provide a rapidly changing ring beam for a variety of laser applications.