Vector space-time wave packets

Abstract

Space-time wave packets (STWPs) are propagation-invariant pulsed beams whose characteristics stem from the tight association between their spatial and temporal degrees of freedom. Until recently, only scalar STWPs have been synthesized in the form of light sheets. Here we synthesize vector STWPs that are localized in all dimensions by preparing polarization-structured spatiotemporal spectra and unveil the polarization distribution over the STWP volume via time-resolved complex field measurements. Such vector STWPs are endowed with cylindrically symmetric polarization vector structures, which require joint manipulation of the spatial, temporal, and polarization degrees of freedom of the optical field. These results may be useful in particle manipulation, and in nonlinear and quantum optics.