Fig. 4.

Experimental diffraction-limited spatial focusing profile of the uninfiltrated and NLC fully infiltrated (MBBA, E7, BL009) lenses through the focal point seen in Fig. 3. The focusing behavior is qualitatively similar to standard refractive lensing. Beam radius measurements are taken at intervals of 50 ± 10 μm over a range of 800 μm about the focal point. This resolution is too low to observe Raleigh behavior in the region of the focal point. In each case NLC infiltration tends to extend the focal length of the lens by a small amount from the optical axis of the clean lens. Horizontal dashed line represents the focal plane of the uninfiltrated lens.