Generation and near-field imaging of Airy surface plasmons

We demonstrate experimentally the generation and near-field imaging of nondiffracting surface waves, plasmonic Airy beams, propagating on the surface of a gold metal film. The Airy plasmons are excited by an engineered nanoscale phase grating, and demonstrate significant beam bending over their propagation. We show that the observed Airy plasmons exhibit self-healing properties, suggesting novel applications in plasmonic circuitry and surface optical manipulation.     

Light beats the spread: “non‐diffracting” beams

“Non‐diffracting” beams do not spread as they propagate. This property is useful in many areas. Here, the theory, generation, properties, and applications of various “non‐diffracting” beams, including the Bessel beam, Mathieu beam, and Airy beam is reviewed. Applications include imaging, micromanipulation, nonlinear optics, and optical transfection.     

Bohmian trajectories of Airy packets

The discovery of Berry and Balazs in 1979 that the free-particle Schrödinger equation allows a non-dispersive and accelerating Airy-packet solution has taken the folklore of quantum mechanics by surprise. Over the years, this intriguing class of wave packets has sparked enormous theoretical and experimental activities in related areas of optics and atom physics. Within the Bohmian mechanics framework, we present new features of Airy wave packet solutions to Schrödinger equation with time-dependent quadratic potentials. In particular, we provide some insights to the problem by calculating the corresponding Bohmian trajectories. It is shown that by using general space–time transformations, these trajectories can display a unique variety of cases depending upon the initial position of the individual particle in the Airy wave packet. Further, we report here a myriad of nontrivial Bohmian trajectories associated to the Airy wave packet. These new features are worth introducing to the subject’s theoretical folklore in light of the fact that the evolution of a quantum mechanical Airy wave packet governed by the Schrödinger equation is analogous to the propagation of a finite energy Airy beam satisfying the paraxial equation. Numerous experimental configurations of optics and atom physics have shown that the dynamics of Airy beams depends significantly on initial parameters and configurations of the experimental set-up.     

Airy beams beyond the paraxial approximation

The behavior of the vectorial Airy beams beyond the paraxial approximation is investigated. Indeed, closed-form (even though non exact) expressions for the electric components of the fields generated by the same boundary conditions, which should pertain to the scalar Airy beams, are obtained on the basis of the vectorial Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction integrals under suitable approximations. Such expressions may accompany more complete approaches, like that in Opt. Expr. 17, 22432 (2009), where a fully numerical analysis of the propagation of exponentially smoothed Airy beams has been presented, faithfully reproducing the conditions of their experimental demonstration as reported in Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 213907 (2007). Comments on other well known approaches to the investigation of the nonparaxial propagation of definite paraxial beams are also given.     

Optical Bloch Oscillations of a Dual Airy Beam

We investigate the propagation of a dual Airy beam in Hermitian and non‐Hermitian waveguides, theoretically and numerically. Optical Bloch oscillations (OBOs) of the beam are demonstrated during propagation in both types of waveguides, and the numerical OBO period is found to be in accordance with the theoretical predictions. The two branches of the dual Airy beam do not display translational symmetry — the peaks will form in one branch only, due to the desynchronized Bragg reflection of the lobes. In the non‐Hermitian waveguides, the dual Airy beam will be damped or amplified during propagation — depending on the imaginary part of the complex potential, which may provide loss or gain to the beam. In the ‐symmetric‐like potential, the dual Airy beam may undergo amplification during propagation, but the total power will exhibit a stair‐like behavior. The non‐reciprocity is also exhibited by the dual Airy beam in such a potential. We believe that our research not only provides a new geometry for optical switches but also deepens the understanding of OBO in dual Airy beams.     

Self‐Imaging Effect Based on Circular Airy Beams

The self‐imaging effect for a superposition of the fundamental circular Airy beams with successively changing radial displacements is investigated. In free space, this self‐imaging along a parabolic trajectory can persist before the focal point. In the linear index potentials with a gradient, the propagation trajectory of circular Airy–Talbot effect can follow some predefined trajectories determined by engineering the index gradient, and the self‐imaging extent can expand provided that each truncated constituent circular Airy beam maintains its form and continues to accelerate before dispersing strongly.     

Airy光纤:基于阵列波导耦合的光场调控方法

近年来,Airy光束作为一种无衍射光束,其特性引起了研究者的广泛关注,人们对它的理论研究、实验验证、实际应用多个方面都取得了长足的进步.而Airy光纤作为一种可生成Airy光束的波导器件,结合其光纤自身优点可适用于多种应用领域,因此开展新型Airy光纤的探索研究、拓展Airy光束的应用范围具有重要现实意义.本文从Airy光束的原理、光纤结构设计、光纤内部光束生成机理、生成光束波长响应特性以及Airy光纤研究现状和应用五个方面展开了较系统的讨论.     

Propagation dynamics and optical trapping of a radial Airy array beam

Analytical propagation expression of a radial Airy array beam in coherent and incoherent combination passing through paraxial ABCD system is derived, and used to investigate the effect of combination scheme, array orientation and initial phase of Airy beamlet on propagation dynamics of the resulting beam in free space, where optical spot array and vortex array with different shapes are also found, respectively. And then taking four-beamlet Airy array beam in same array orientation as an example, square optical spot array obtained in focal field can be used for simultaneous trapping multiple Rayleigh particles with relative refractive index larger than 1. The transverse gradient forces serving as restore forces tend to push particles at different initial positions to their individual optical spot center. The analysis of trapping stability indicates that larger input peak intensity of Airy beamlet and smaller particle size are benefit to trapping particle owing to many deeper potential wells. Vortex array produced by coherent combined Airy array beam in this paper is expected to be useful for simultaneous trapping microparticles with relative refractive index smaller than 1.     

Manipulation of Airy Beams in Dynamic Parabolic Potentials

The propagation of finite energy Airy beams in dynamic parabolic potentials, including uniformly moving, accelerating, and oscillating potentials, is investigated. The propagation trajectories of Airy beams are strongly affected by the dynamic potentials, but the periodic inversion of the beam remains invariant. The results may broaden the potential applications of Airy beams, and also enlighten ideas on Airy beam manipulation in nonlinear regimes.     

A double‐lined metasurface for plasmonic complex‐field generation

Since the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) has received a great deal of attention because of its capability of guiding light within the subwavelength scale, finding methods for arbitrary SPP field generation has been a significant issue in the area of integrated optics. To achieve such a goal, it will be necessary to generate a plasmonic complex field. In this paper, we propose a novel method for generating a plasmonic complex field propagating with arbitrary curvatures by using double‐lined distributed nanoslits. As a unit cell, two facing nanoslits are used for tuning both the amplitude and the phase of excited SPPs as a function of their tilted angles. For verification of the proposed design rule, the authors experimentally demonstrate some plasmonic caustic curves and Airy plasmons.

     

关于Airy光束衍射及自加速性质的研究

对Airy光束的特性做进一步探讨, 一方面对无限宽Airy光束的重心问题给出新的理论说明, 另一方面着重对有限宽情形下的Airy光束的奇特性质进行探讨. 文中采用反证法给出无衍射的讨论, 同时结合数值模拟给出高斯函数及矩形函数限定下的有限宽Airy光束的场分布, 并由此得到其重心位置的轨迹: 重心位置是不变的, 不可能整体自由加速. 最终得到有限宽Airy光束既不可能在自由空间加速, 也不可能是无衍射光束. 关键词： Airy光束 无衍射 自加速 数值模拟     

Ring Airy-Like Beams along Predesigned Parabolic Trajectories

By phase-modulating ring Airy Gaussian beams, ring Airy-like beams propagating along predesigned parabolic trajectories are presented which combine the properties of accelerating beams and abruptly autofocusing beams analytically and numerically for the first time. The enhancement of the quadratic term ratio α shortens the autofocus distance and increases the slope of the beams after autofocusing. Interestingly, the main lobe tends to break into pieces as α increases and the possible reasons have been discussed. Furthermore, the distribution factor β and the radius of the primary r₀ can prominently affect the autofocus distance and the intensity at the focal point but do not change the slope of the beams after the autofocusing. In addition, the self-healing properties are validated to be retainable while RAiG beams via predesigned parabolic trajectories with various α.     

用傅里叶分析法研究艾里光束远场传播特性

为了从理论上深入分析新型无衍射光束艾里光束在有限能量条件下的远场传播特性,首先,从决定光波在自由空间传播的一维旁轴波动方程入手,采用傅里叶分析法,结合艾里函数的特殊性质,并利用经过指数衰减的有限能量初始条件,完整给出了有限能量条件下用于精确描述一维艾里光束在自由空间传播特性的波动方程解析解.然后,利用所得到解析解分别对一维和二维艾里光束在自由空间的传播特性进行了研究,重点分析了不同参量条件对艾里光束进行无衍射传播和横向自加速的影响.研究表明:当任意横向尺度为100μm,衰减系数为0.03、0.05、0.07、0.1、0.2时,二维艾里光束无衍射传播距离分别为1 014、624、455、338、193mm;当横向尺度保持不变时,衰减系数越小,艾里光束保持无衍射传播的距离越大;当衰减系数保持不变时,横向尺度越小,艾里光束横向自加速越大.所采用的研究方法也可用于研究艾里光束在介质中的传播特性.     

Propagations of Airy Beams and Nonlinear Accelerating Optical Beams in Photorefractive Crystals with Asymmetric Nonlocality

The impact of the asymmetric nonlocal diffusion nonlinearity of Airy beams and nonlinear accelerating beams supported by photorefractive crystals is addressed. It is revealed how the asymmetric nonlocal response alters the evolution of these optical beams. It is found that the evolution of these beams presents a bending action under the influence of the diffusion nonlinearity. It is also shown that nonlinear accelerating beams can exist in photorefractive crystals with asymmetric nonlocality. These accelerating solutions have the same Airy‐like tail, and accelerate along parabolic trajectories. Soliton states are formed in the interaction of both in‐phase and out‐of‐phase Airy beams and nonlinear accelerating beams and also present a bending action because of the action of diffusion nonlinearity.     

Non‐paraxial theory of self‐focusing/defocusing of Hermite cosh Gaussian laser beam in rippled density plasmas

Present research work focuses on study of self‐focusing and self‐trapping of Hermite cosh Gaussian (HchG) laser beams in rippled density plasma by considering relativistic non‐linearity. The coupled non‐linear differential equations for the beam width parameters (for modes m = 0, 1, and 2) were derived by employing higher‐order correction in comparison to paraxial ray theory by expanding dielectric function and eikonal up to r⁴ terms. It is observed that the inclusion of higher‐order terms significantly influence the off‐axial properties for m ≥ 1 mode indices. Furthermore, the effect of parameters including beam intensity, ripple factor, depth of density modulation, and decentred parameter on self‐focusing and self‐trapping is analysed and discussed both analytically and numerically.     

拉曼增益和自陡峭效应对艾里脉冲传输特性的影响

利用包含拉曼增益和自陡峭效应的非线性薛定谔方程, 忽略光纤损耗的情况下, 模拟和分析了艾里脉冲在单模光纤中的传输特性. 发现艾里脉冲在光纤中传输时由于受到拉曼增益和自陡峭效应的影响, 在一定条件下会转变为孤子, 并且, 转变后形成的孤子传播方向发生了偏移. 在时域方面, 艾里脉冲的小峰个数迅速减少, 变成含有一个主峰和次峰能量可以忽略的峰值结构, 此时, 可以把这个峰值结构近似为孤子的结构. 同时发现, 不管截止系数a和艾里函数振幅b 取什么值, 拉曼增益和自陡峭效应都会减小艾里脉冲的时移. 研究了艾里脉冲的加速度特性, 发现一定的传输距离下, 艾里脉冲的横向加速度在初始时并不是一个稳定的值, 但随着传输距离的增大, 加速度慢慢趋于稳定.     

Plasmas meet plasmonics

The term ‘plasmon’ was first coined in 1956 to describe collective electronic oscillations in solids which were very similar to electronic oscillations/surface waves in a plasma discharge (effectively the same formulae can be used to describe the frequencies of these physical phenomena). Surface waves originating in a plasma were initially considered to be just a tool for basic research, until they were successfully used for the generation of large-area plasmas for nanoscale materials synthesis and processing. To demonstrate the synergies between ‘plasmons’ and ‘plasmas’, these large-area plasmas can be used to make plasmonic nanostructures which functionally enhance a range of emerging devices. The incorporation of plasma-fabricated metal-based nanostructures into plasmonic devices is the missing link needed to bridge not only surface waves from traditional plasma physics and surface plasmons from optics, but also, more topically, macroscopic gaseous and nanoscale metal plasmas. This article first presents a brief review of surface waves and surface plasmons, then describe how these areas of research may be linked through Plasma Nanoscience showing, by closely looking at the essential physics as well as current and future applications, how everything old, is new, once again.     

表面等离子体亚波长光学原理和新颖效应

表面等离子体是沿着导体表面传播的波，当改变金属表面结构时，表面等离子体激元（surface plasmon polaritons，SPPs）的性质、色散关系、激发模式、耦合效应等都将产生重大的变化．通过SPPs与光场之间相互作用，能够实现对光传播的主动操控．表面等离子体光子学（plasmonics）已成为一门新兴的学科，它的原理、新颖效应以及机制的探究，都极大地吸引研究者们的兴趣．SPPs具有广阔的应用前景，例如，应用于制作各种SPPs元器件和回路，制作纳米波导、表面等离子体光子芯片、耦合器、调制器和开关，应用于亚波长光学数据存储、新型光源、突破衍射极限的超分辨成像、SPPs纳米光刻蚀术、以及生物光学（作为传感器和探测器）．文章介绍了表面等离子体光子学原理、新颖效应和物理机制，并简述若干应用。     

附加球面相位引致Airy光束在单轴晶体传输时的两次镜像演化

利用单轴晶体光束传输理论,求得了具有附加球面相位Airy光束在单轴晶体中的传输公式.数值模拟计算结果表明,线偏振附加球面相位Airy光束在晶体中传输时仍为线偏振,但不是传输不变的.粗略地讲,具有附加球面相位的Airy光束在晶体中传输时,近场是传输不变的;而在由晶体寻常与非寻常折射率和球面半径共同确定的两个特定传输距离处,传输光束转换成了取向不同的Gaussian-Airy光束,且高斯依赖的束宽度敏感地与截断因子相关;而当光束依次穿过此两位置时光斑花样先后相对于两横向轴平面做镜像演化,且镜像演化顺序也与晶体寻常和非寻常折射率相对大小密切相关,其总的效果是远场强度花样能恢复原样但花样取向产生了关于对过横平面二、四象限平分平面的镜像演化.这些结果表明,通过恰当选择晶体材料(即折射率)和附加球面相位的半径R,可以调控光束花样的形状、取向及表征各向异性材料的相关性质.     

The optical Airy transform and its application in generating and controlling the Airy beam

We propose an optical Airy transform in this paper, and obtain the analytical expressions for the Airy transform of fundamental Gaussian beams and finite energy Airy beams. The setup for performing the optical Airy transform is presented. The Airy transform for Gaussian beams and finite energy Airy beams are theoretically calculated and analyzed. Our results show that the Airy beam can be conveniently generated and controlled through the optical Airy transform of the Gaussian beam. The optical Airy transform also can be used to directly modulate the beam parameters of the incident Airy beam, and it can transform the incident Airy beam into the Gaussian beam.