Mid-infrared diffraction-free space-time wave packets
Abstract
Joint structuring of the spatio-temporal spectrum of a pulsed optical beam can lead to a host of unusual properties, such as diffraction-free propagation and tunable group velocities in free space. Such ‘space-time’ wave packets have been synthesized exclusively in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions. Here we synthesize the first space-time wave packet in the mid-infrared exploiting a transmissive phase plate fabricated via gray-scale lithography. A mid-infrared wave packet having a bandwidth of ∼60 nm at a wavelength of 2.35 μm is synthesized such that its transverse width is ∼300 μm and is monitored for a propagation distance of 7 m, corresponding to 80 × the Rayleigh range of a Gaussian beam at the same wavelength and having the same initial transverse spatial width. The experimental methodology presented here and the reported results will help appropriate spatio-temporally structured light in the mid-infrared for a wide variety of applications including imaging, sensing, and metrology.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Feb 19, 2020
- Source ID
- 10.1364/osac.384544
Entities
People
- Ayman F Abouraddy
- Kenneth L Schepler
- Konstantin L. Vodopyanov
- Monjurul Meem
- Murat Yessenov
- Qitian Ru
- Rajesh Menon
Organizations
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Office of Naval Research