DISPERSIVE AIRY PACKETS

We present the solution of Schrodinger's equation for time-dependent quadratic potentials in terms of an Airy packet. We demonstrate new features of the Airy packet in light of its apparent unfamiliar properties discovered by Berry and Balazs (who found a nonspreading and accelerating Airy packet to be a unique solution to the free-particle Schrodinger equation). Our solution, found using space-time scale transformations, not only overcomes the packet's tendency to accelerate, but also make it possible to spread or contract in time. (C) 1995 American Association of Physics Teachers.