Tornado waves

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the generation of tornado-like light waves by superimposing auto-focusing ring-Airy beams with opposite orbital angular momentum, resulting in complex, twisting wave structures with potential applications in laser trapping and high harmonic generation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to create tornado waves using superimposed ring-Airy beams with opposite angular momentum and tailored trajectories.

Findings

Achieved angular acceleration exceeding 295 rad/mm^2.

Generated complex twisting wave structures with intense lobes.

Potential applications in laser trapping, writing, and high harmonic generation.

Abstract

We show that light spiraling like a tornado can be generated by superimposing abruptly auto-focusing ring-Airy beams that carry orbital angular momentum of opposite handedness. With different parabolic propagation trajectories, the superimposing ring-Airy beams are tailored to abruptly auto-focus at overlapping focal regions. This results to a complex wave with intense lobes that twist and shrink in an accelerating fashion along propagation. By achieving angular acceleration values that exceed 295 rad\mm^2, these Tornado waves can find numerous applications in laser trapping, direct laser writing and high harmonic generation.