The intensity distributions near the focal point for radially polarized laser beams including higher-order transverse modes are calculated based on vector diffraction theory. For higher-order radially polarized mode beams as well as a fundamental mode $\left(\mathrm{R}\text{-}\mathrm{TEM}_{01}{}^{*}\right)$ beam, the strong longitudinal component forms a sharper spot at the focal point under a high-NA focusing condition. In particular, double-ring-shaped radially polarized mode $\left(\mathrm{R}\text{-}\mathrm{TEM}_{11}{}^{*}\right)$ beams can effectively reduce the focal spot size because of destructive interference between the inner and the outer rings with π phase shift. Compared with an $\mathrm{R}\text{-}\mathrm{TEM}_{01}{}^{*}$ beam focusing in a limit of $\mathrm{NA}=1$ , the full width at half-maximum values of the focal spot for an $\mathrm{R}\text{-}\mathrm{TEM}_{11}{}^{*}$ beam are decreased by 13.6% for the longitudinal component and 25.8% for the total intensity.

© 2007 Optical Society of America

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