Propagation characteristics of Airy-Bessel wave packets in free space.

Airy-Bessel configuration wave packets are believed to be exotic localized linear light bullets (LLBs) without spatiotemporal spread during propagation in free space. By carefully studying the propagation of ideal Airy-Bessel wave packets (ABWs) in free space, several new results were obtained. Cubic spatially induced dispersion (SID) slightly broadens Airy pulses while quadratic SID cannot temporally change ABWs transmission modes. Hence, ABWs, although remaining as superior localized linear wave packets, cannot be regarded as absolute LLBs. Moreover, cubic SID also decreases the longitudinal acceleration of the Airy pulse peak during propagation.