On the asymptotic evolution of finite energy Airy wavefunctions

TL;DR

This paper investigates the asymptotic behavior of finite energy Airy wavefunctions, revealing that increased localization in both the original and Fourier domains reduces diffraction and broadening, with analysis supported by stationary phase approximation.

Contribution

It demonstrates that finite energy Airy wavepackets can be simultaneously localized in both domains, contrary to typical inverse relations, and provides an asymptotic analysis of their evolution.

Findings

Increased localization reduces diffraction rate.

Asymptotic evolution approximates a Gaussian-like profile.

Broadening rate decreases with higher initial localization.

Abstract

In general, there is an inverse relation between the degree of localization of a wavefunction of a certain class and its transform representation dictated by the scaling property of the Fourier transform. We report that in the case of finite energy Airy wavepackets a simultaneous increase in their localization in the direct and transform domains can be obtained as the apodization parameter is varied. One consequence of this is that the far field diffraction rate of a finite energy Airy beam decreases as the beam localization at the launch plane increases. We analyse the asymptotic properties of finite energy Airy wavefunctions using the stationary phase method. We obtain one dominant contribution to the long term evolution that admits a Gaussian-like approximation, which displays the expected reduction of its broadening rate as the input localization is increased.