Ring-Airy beams at the wavelength limit

Abstract

We demonstrate that paraxial ring-Airy beams can approach the wavelength limit, while observing a counterintuitive, strong enhancement of their focal peak intensity. Using numerical simulations, we show that this behavior is a result of the coherent constructive action of paraxial and nonparaxial energy flow. A simple theoretical model enables us to predict the parameter range over which this is possible.