This paper discusses theoretical and experimental results of the investigation of light beams that retain their intensity strusture during propagation and focusing. We describe a family of laser beams termed spiral whose intensity remains invariable, up to scale and rotation, during propagation. Several properties of spiral beams are of practical interest for laser technologies, medicine, and microbiology. The problem of synthesis of spiral beams with the intensity distribution given by an arbitrary planar curve is considered. We emphasize the feasibility, in principle, of making lasers that directly generate beams with desired properties without additional unconventional optics.

PACS: 42.25.Bs, 42.30.Lr, 42.60.Jf (all) DOI: 10.1070/PU2004v047n12ABEH001802 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2004/12/a/ 000228406500001 2004PhyU...47.1177A Citation: Abramochkin E G, Volostnikov V G "Spiral light beams" Phys. Usp. 47 1177–1203 (2004) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Оригинал: Абрамочкин Е Г, Волостников В Г «Спиральные пучки света» УФН 174 1273–1300 (2004); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0174.200412a.1273