[![enter image description here][1]][1] According to _[Wikipedia:Gaussian beam][2]_ the beam waist ($w_0$) and the total angular spread of the beam ($\Theta$) are related by $$ \pi w_0 \tan \frac \Theta 2 = \lambda $$ From this formula you see: The wave-nature of light (via its wavelength $\lambda$) is responsible for the non-zero waist. That means you would have a beam waist $w_0 = 0$ only for these cases: * wavelength $\lambda = 0$ (so that there is no diffraction) * total angular spread $\Theta = 180°$ (meaning we have a spherical wave from a point source) [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/JLJtu.png [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaussian_beam#Beam_waist