We introduce a new family of nonseparable, pulselike and beamlike solutions of the wave equation in the paraxial approximation with pseudonondiffracting behavior. They are the pulsed versions of the Bessel-Gauss beams by Gori et al., and encompass as particular cases the diffraction-free Bessel-X pulses, isodiffracting pulses, and, in the many-cycle limit, Bessel and Gaussian beams. Unlike Bessel-X waves, these solutions carry finite energy but retain nondiffracting behavior over a finite propagation distance, and could be physically produced with mode-locked toroidal resonators.

• Received 7 February 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.62.5729