Shape-Preserving Accelerating Electromagnetic Wave Packets in Curved Space

Abstract

We present shape-preserving spatially accelerating electromagnetic wave packets in curved space: wave packets propagating along nongeodesic trajectories while periodically recovering their structure. These wave packets are solutions to the paraxial and nonparaxial wave equations in curved space. We analyze the dynamics of such beams propagating on surfaces of revolution, and find solutions that propagate along a variety of nongeodesic trajectories, with their intensity profile becoming narrower (or broader) in a scaled self-similar fashion. Such wave packets reflect the interplay between the curvature of space and interference effects. Finally, we extend this concept to nonlinear accelerating beams in curved space supported by the Kerr nonlinearity. Our study concentrates on optical settings, but the underlying concepts directly relate to general relativity.