Filamentation of Beam-Shaped Femtosecond Laser Pulses

Journal Article · Fri Oct 08 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3507130· OSTI ID:21426595

Polynkin, Pavel; Kolesik, Miroslav; Moloney, Jerome ^[1]

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1. College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, 1630 E. University Blvd., Tucson, Arizona 85721 (United States)

When ultra-intense and ultra-short optical pulses propagate in transparent dielectrics, the dynamic balance between multiple linear and nonlinear effects results in the generation of laser filaments. These peculiar objects have numerous interesting properties and can be potentially used in a variety of applications from remote sensing to the optical pulse compression down to few optical cycles to guiding lightning discharges away from sensitive sites. Materializing this practical potential is not straightforward owing to the complexity of the physical picture of filamentation. In this paper, we discuss recent experiments on using beam shaping as a means of control over the filament formation and dynamics. Two particular beam shapes that we have investigated so far are Bessel and Airy beams. The diffraction-free propagation of femtosecond Bessel beams allows for the creation of extended plasma channels in air. These extended filaments can be used for the generation of energetic optical pulses with the duration in the few-cycle range. In the case of filamentation of femtosecond Airy beams, the self-bending property of these beams allows for the creation of curved filaments. This is a new regime of the intense laser-pulse propagation in which the linear self-bending property of the beam competes against the nonlinear self-channeling. The bent filaments generated by ultra-intense Airy beams emit forward-propagating broadband radiation. Analysis of the spatial and spectral distribution of this emission provides for a valuable tool for analyzing the evolution of the ultra-intense optical pulse along the optical path.

• OSTI ID: 21426595
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1278, Issue 1; Conference: International symposium on high power laser ablation 2010, Santa Fe, NM (United States), 18-22 Apr 2010; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3507130; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BEAM SHAPING
CHANNELING
COMPRESSION
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
FILAMENTS
INSTABILITY
LASER RADIATION
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
LASERS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PHOTON EMISSION
PLASMA DENSITY
PULSED IRRADIATION
PULSES
REMOTE SENSING
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS
PLASMA
RADIATIONS