Abstract
A method is proposed for generating Bessel-like optical beams with arbitrary trajectories in free space. The method involves phase-modulating an optical wavefront so that conical bundles of rays are formed whose apexes write a continuous focal curve with pre-specified shape. These ray cones have circular bases on the input plane; thus their interference results in a Bessel-like transverse field profile that propagates along the specified trajectory with a remarkably invariant main lobe. Such beams can be useful as hybrids between non-accelerating and accelerating optical waves that share diffraction-resisting and self-healing properties.
© 2012 Optical Society of America
Full Article | PDF ArticleMore Like This
Juanying Zhao, Peng Zhang, Dongmei Deng, Jingjiao Liu, Yuanmei Gao, Ioannis D. Chremmos, Nikolaos K. Efremidis, Demetrios N. Christodoulides, and Zhigang Chen
Opt. Lett. 38(4) 498-500 (2013)
Mei-jun Qu, Ren-wen Tian, Wen-yu Li, and Jian-xun Su
Opt. Lett. 47(14) 3507-3510 (2022)
Michael Goutsoulas, Domenico Bongiovanni, Denghui Li, Zhigang Chen, and Nikolaos K. Efremidis
Opt. Lett. 45(7) 1830-1833 (2020)