Meters-Long Propagation Of Diffraction-Free Space-Time Light-Sheets

Abstract

Space-time (ST) wave packets are pulsed beams in which the spatial frequencies and wavelengths are tightly correlated. Proper design of the functional form of these correlations results in diffraction-free and dispersion-free axial propagation; that is, propagation invariance in free space. To date, observed propagation distances of such ST wave packets has been on the order of a few centimeters. Here we synthesize an ST wave packet in the form of a pulsed optical sheet of transverse spatial width ∼ 200 µm and spectral bandwidth of ∼ 2 nm, and observe its diffraction-free propagation for approximately 6 meters. For such ST wave packets, we identify the spectral uncertainty–the precision in associating the spatial and temporal frequencies–as a critical parameter in determining the propagation-invariant distance. We present a design strategy and an experimental methodology that enables further increase in the diffraction-free length.

Publication Date

8-6-2018

Publication Title

Optics Express

Volume

26

Issue

16

Number of Pages

20111-20121

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.26.020111

Socpus ID

85051089220 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85051089220

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