Theory of Frozen Waves

Abstract

In this work, starting by suitable superpositions of equal-frequency Bessel beams, we develop a theoretical and experimental methodology to obtain localized stationary wave fields, with high transverse localization, whose longitudinal intensity pattern can approximately assume any desired shape within a chosen interval 0 < z < L of the propagation axis z. Their intensity envelope remains static, i.e. with velocity v=0; so that we have named ``Frozen Waves&#34; (FW) these new solutions to the wave equations (and, in particular, to the Maxwell equations). Inside the envelope of a FW only the carrier wave does propagate: And the longitudinal shape, within the interval 0 < z < L, can be chosen in such a way that no nonnegligible field exists outside the pre-determined region (consisting, e.g., in one or more high intensity peaks). Our solutions are noticeable also for the different and interesting applications they can have, especially in electromagnetism and acoustics, such as optical tweezers, atom guides, optical or acoustic bistouries, various important medical apparata, etc.