A laboratory SAL setup that can produce well-focused SAL images using laser illumination with one-way far-field diffraction is introduced. Using 1 550 nm fiber laser, the SAL can focus images from target distance of about 2.4 m with azimuth resolution of about 560 μm and range resolution of about 170 μm. High-resolution SAL images are generated by straightforwardly following standard SAL image formation theory, not by the aid of phase gradient autofocus (PGA) technique. Detailed results, showing both a typical two-step SAL focusing process and high resolution image, are illustrated.A laboratory SAL setup produced well-focused SAL images using laser illumination with one-way far-field diffraction. Using 1550 nm fiber laser, the SAL can focus images from target distance of about 2.4 m with azimuth resolution of about 560 μm and range resolution of about 170 μm. High-resolution SAL images are generated by straightforwardly following standard SAL image formation theory, without the aid of phase gradient autofocus (PGA) technique. Detailed results show a typical two-step SAL focusing process and a high resolution image.