Filamentation in Kerr media from pulsed Bessel beams

Polesana, P., Franco, M., Couairon, A., Faccio, D. and Di Trapani, P. (2008) Filamentation in Kerr media from pulsed Bessel beams. Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, 77(4), 043814. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevA.77.043814)

Abstract

In contrast with filamentation of ultrashort laser pulses with standard Gaussian beams in Kerr media, three different types of Bessel filaments are obtained in air or in water by focusing ultrashort laser pulses with an axicon. We thoroughly investigate the different regimes and show that the beam reshapes as a nonlinear Bessel beam which establishes a conical energy flux from the low intensity tails toward the high intensity peak. This flux efficiently sustains a high contrast long-distance propagation and easily generates a continuous plasma channel in air.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Faccio, Professor Daniele
• Authors: Polesana, P., Franco, M., Couairon, A., Faccio, D., and Di Trapani, P.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Journal Name: Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• ISSN: 1050-2947
• ISSN (Online): 1094-1622