Propagation of the Airy beam along the optical axis of a uniaxial medium

Abstract

We investigate the propagation of an Airy beam along the optical axis of a uniaxial medium, and we find that the propagation property of the Airy beam is determined by the ordinary refractive index of uniaxial crystals and is independent of the ratio of the extraordinary to ordinary refractive index. We also know that the polarization state of linearly polarized Airy beams changes gradually during the propagation. This shows that the propagation properties of the Airy beam in uniaxial crystals along the optical axis is distinctly different from that orthogonal to the optical axis.

Keywords:

• Wave propagation
• crystal optics
• polarization

Notes

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Foundation of He’nan Educational Committee of China [grant number 15A140021]; the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 11504091], [grant number 31401622].