140 GHz Ultra-Long Bessel-Like Beam with Near-Wavelength Beamwidth

The Bessel-Gauss beam has outstanding features, such as long depth of focus (DOF) and super resolution for nondestructive imaging inspection. However, most approaches for generating a nondiffractive beam have mainly focused on extending the DOF. In this study, the ultra-long high-resolution Bessel-like beam was first demonstrated in a sub-THz wave range (140 GHz). An axicon lens having an apex angle of 110 degrees was used to generate the highly focused Bessel-like beam. To extend the depth of focus, we varied the incident beam angle on the axicon by moving the first lens distance. With the newly developed beam profiler, 3D beam profiles were acquired for characterizing in detail the beam propagation. As a result, even if the depth of focus was 72 times (154 mm) the source wavelength (2.143 mm), the focusing beamwidth was simultaneously maintained at 1.4 times (3.0 mm) the wavelength (i.e., the near-wavelength beamwidth). An ultra-long needle beam of near-wavelength size can promote the applicability of the sub-THz imaging technique in noninvasive sensing applications, such as computer tomography, materials inspection, and through-the-wall-imaging.