Open AccessPropagation of Airy beams in uniaxial crystals orthogonal to the optical axis
Author(s) -
Guoquan Zhou,
Chen Rui-pin,
Xiuxiang Chu
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.20.002196
Subject(s) - uniaxial crystal , airy beam , optics , optical axis , beam (structure) , refractive index , physics , light beam , lens (geology)
Analytical propagation expression of an Airy beam in uniaxial crystals orthogonal to the optical axis is derived. The ballistic dynamics of an Airy beam in uniaxial crystals is also investigated. The Airy beam propagating in uniaxial crystals orthogonal to the optical axis mainly depends on the ratio of the extraordinary refractive index to the ordinary refractive index. As an example, the propagation of an Airy beam in the positive uniaxial crystals orthogonal to the optical axis is demonstrated. The acceleration of an Airy beam in the transversal direction along the optical axis is more rapidly than that in the other transversal direction. With increasing the ratio of the extraordinary refractive index to the ordinary refractive index, the acceleration of the Airy beam in the transversal direction along the optical axis speeds up and the acceleration of the Airy beam in the other transversal direction slows down. The Airy beam propagating in uniaxial crystals orthogonal to the optical axis follows a ballistic trajectory. The effective beam size of the Airy beam in the transversal direction along the optical axis is always larger than that in the other transversal direction.