Swallowtail-type diffraction catastrophe beams.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Mathematical Physics

Background:

• Diffraction catastrophe theory provides a framework for understanding complex light structures.
• High-order beams with tunable properties are crucial for advanced optical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a universal approach for generating high-order diffraction catastrophe beams, specifically Swallowtail beams.
• To explore the tunability and propagation characteristics of these novel optical beams.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing potential functions dependent on control and state parameters from diffraction catastrophe theory.
• Deriving three-dimensional curved caustic surfaces from potential functions.
• Mapping cross sections of high-order control parameter space to the transverse plane for beam generation.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated high-order Swallowtail-type diffraction catastrophe beams.
• Demonstrated the tunability of Swallowtail beams into diverse optical light structures.
• Observed that Swallowtail beams can transform into low-order Pearcey beams during propagation under specific conditions.
• Experimental results closely matched simulation findings.

Conclusions:

• The developed method offers a universal approach for generating tunable, high-order diffraction catastrophe beams.
• Swallowtail beams exhibit unique propagation characteristics, including curved trajectories.
• These beams hold promise for novel applications in micromachining and optical manipulation, enabling the tailoring of accelerating caustic beams.