Vortex symmetric Airy beam

We report, both in theory and experiment, on a novel kind of vortex symmetric Airy beam (VSAB) that exhibits elegant symmetric structure and autofocusing property. A general expression of the symmetric Airy beam (SAB) is derived first, and then VSAB is created by imposing a spiral phase into the initial SAB. Notably, we can tailor the structure and autofocusing behavior of VASB by embedding the vortex or vortices in an on or off-axis mode. Besides, multiple off-axis vortices projected into SAB are also investigated. This proposed VSAB will provide flexibility for optical manipulation and quantum communication.