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arXiv · 2204.05676

Nondiffracting Supertoroidal Pulses: Optical "K\'arm\'an vortex streets"

Yijie Shen·Nikitas Papasimakis·Nikolay I. Zheludev
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Abstract

Recently introduced supertoroidal light pulses [Nat. Commun. 15, 5891 (2021)] are a family of space-time nonseparable freespace electromagnetic excitations with unique topological properties including skyrmionic field configurations, fractal-like patterns of singularities, and extended areas of energy backflow. Here we report nondiffracting supertoroidal pulses (ND-STPs), propagation-robust skyrmionic and vortex-ring field that endure the singular configurations over arbitrary propagation distances. Intriguingly, the field structure in of ND-STPs has a strong similarity with a von K\'arm\'an vortex street, a pattern of swirling vortices observed in fluid and gas dynamics that is responsible for the "singing" of suspended telephone lines in wind. We argue that ND-STPs are of interest as directed energy channels for telecom applications.

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Yijie Shen, Nikitas Papasimakis, Nikolay I. Zheludev. 2022-04-12. Nondiffracting Supertoroidal Pulses: Optical "K\'arm\'an vortex streets". https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48927-5

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