Analytical study of the self-healing property of Airy beams

An analytical expression for the optical field of an Airy beam partially blocked by an opaque obstacle is derived. The self-healing properties of the Airy beam are studied and discussed in detail. The study shows that the self-healing process of the Airy beam is affected by many factors such as the opaque obstacle size, propagation distance, wavelength, and parameters of the Airy beam. The self-healing process is caused by the convergence of energy from the side to the position of the opaque obstacle and is finished when the convergence of energy flow disappears. When the propagation distance is short, the main lobe of the Airy beam is affected by the obstruction located near the main lobe. When the propagation distance is long, the main lobe of the Airy beam can be affected by the obstruction located far away from the main lobe. The result agrees with the existing results and can be explained by the caustic of the Airy beam.