Technique for generating periodic structured light beams using birefringent elements.

We put forward a simple, scalable and robust technique for generating periodically structured light beams with intensity patterns, e.g. of the form cos(2n)(k(x)x)cos(2m)(k(y)y), where k(x) and k(y) are real numbers that can be tailored and n and m are integers. The technique combines the use of Gaussian beams with curved wavefronts, birefringent crystals (Savart plates) and linear polarizers. Applications range from photolithography to fabrication of micro-lens array and fiber Bragg gratings, 3D printing and tailoring of optical lattices for trapping atoms and molecules. (C) 2018 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement