Production of accelerating quad Airy beams and their optical characteristics.

Based on a geometric caustic argument and diffraction catastrophe theory, we generate a novel form of accelerating beams using a symmetric 3/2 phase-only pattern. Such beams can be called accelerating quad Airy beams (AQABs) because they look very much like four face-to-face combined Airy beams. Optical characteristics of AQABs are subsequently investigated. The research results show that the beams have axial-symmetrical and centrosymmetrical transverse intensity patterns and quasi-diffraction-free propagation features for their four main lobes while undergoing transverse shift along parabolic trajectories. Moreover, we also demonstrate that AQABs possess self-construction ability when local areas are blocked. The unique optical properties of these beams will make them useful tools for future scientific applications.