Fractal zone plates with variable lacunarity

Abstract

Fractal zone plates (FZPs), i.e., zone plates with fractal structure, have been recently introduced in optics. These zone plates are distinguished by the fractal focusing structure they provide along the optical axis. In this paper we study the effects on this axial response of an important descriptor of fractals: the lacunarity. It is shown that this parameter drastically affects the profile of the irradiance response along the optical axis. In spite of this fact, the axial behavior always has the self-similarity characteristics of the FZP itself.