Multiple optical vortices generated by azimuthal fractal spiral zone plates based on liquid crystal spatial light modulator

Azimuthal fractal spiral zone plates (AFSZPs) with particular fractal characteristics are proposed which have the ability to increase the number of foci comparing with conventional spiral zone plates. The generated beams possess sequence of optical vortices along the propagation direction with preset resolution. Numerical simulations are carried out under plane wave illumination and the good performance of this fractal diffractive optical elements are verified experimentally based on a programmable phase-only liquid-crystal spatial light modulator (SLM). In addition, the effects on the axial irradiance and resolution of foci caused by variations of parameters are also presented.