Launching of Non-Dispersive Superluminal Beams

Abstract

In this paper we analyze the physical meaning of sub- and superluminal soliton-like solutions (as the X-waves) of the relativistic wave equations and of some non-trivial solutions of the free Schrödinger equation for which the concepts of phase and group velocities have a different meaning than in the case of plane wave solutions. If we accept the strict validity of the principle of relativity, such solutions describe objects of two essentially different natures: carrying energy wave packets and inertia-free properly phase vibrations. Speeds of the first-type objects can exceed the plane wave velocity $c_*$ only inside media and are always less than the vacuum light speed $c$. Particularly, very fast sound pulses with speeds $c_* < v < c$ have already been launched. The second-type objects are incapable of carrying energy and information but have superluminal speed. If we admit the possibility of a breakdown of Lorentz invariance, pulses described, for example, by superluminal solutions of the Maxwell equations can be generated. Only experiment will give the final answer.