Accelerating parabolic beams.
We demonstrate the existence of accelerating parabolic beams that constitute, together with the Airy beams, the only orthogonal and complete families of solutions of the two-dimensional paraxial wave equation that exhibit the unusual ability to remain diffraction-free and freely accelerate during propagation. Since the accelerating parabolic beams, like the Airy beams, carry infinite energy, we present exact finite-energy accelerating parabolic beams that still retain their unusual features over several diffraction lengths.
Bandres
Miguel A
MA
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA. bandres@caltech.edu