title: Bessel-like optical beams with arbitrary trajectories.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Crete, Heraklion 71409, Greece. jochremm@central.ntua.gr
authors.forename: Ioannis D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Chremmos
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Demetrios N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Christodoulides
authors.forename: Nikolaos K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Efremidis