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Tailoring spatiotemporal wavepackets via two-dimensional space-time duality

Author

Listed:
  • Wei Chen

    (Nanjing University)

  • An-Zhuo Yu

    (Nanjing University)

  • Zhou Zhou

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Ling-Ling Ma

    (Nanjing University)

  • Ze-Yu Wang

    (Nanjing University)

  • Jia-Chen Yang

    (Nanjing University)

  • Cheng-Wei Qiu

    (National University of Singapore)

  • Yan-Qing Lu

    (Nanjing University)

Abstract

Spatiotemporal (ST) beams—ultrafast optical wavepackets with customized spatial and temporal characteristics—present a significant contrast to conventional spatial-structured light and hold the potential to revolutionize our understanding and manipulation of light. However, progress in ST beam research has been constrained by the absence of a universal framework for its analysis and generation. Here, we introduce the concept of ‘two-dimensional space-time duality’, establishing a foundational duality between spatial-structured light and ST beams. We show that breaking the exact balance between paraxial diffraction and narrow-band dispersion is crucial for guiding the dynamics of ST wavepackets. Leveraging this insight, we pioneer a versatile complex-amplitude modulation strategy, enabling the precise crafting of ST beams with an exceptional fidelity exceeding 97%. Furthermore, we uncover a new range of ST wavepackets by harnessing the exact one-to-one relationship between scalar spatial-structured light and ST beams. Our results expand the toolkit for ST beam research and hold promise for applications across a diverse spectrum of wave-based physical systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Wei Chen & An-Zhuo Yu & Zhou Zhou & Ling-Ling Ma & Ze-Yu Wang & Jia-Chen Yang & Cheng-Wei Qiu & Yan-Qing Lu, 2025. "Tailoring spatiotemporal wavepackets via two-dimensional space-time duality," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57743-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57743-4
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