By using a finite-difference time-domain method, we analyze self-focusing effects in a nonlinear Kerr film and demonstrate that the near-field intensity distribution at the film surface can reach a stable state at only a few hundred femtoseconds after the incidence of the beam. Our simulations also show that the formation of multiple filamentations in the near-field is quite sensitive to the thickness of the nonlinear film and the power of the laser beam, strongly indicating the existence of nonlinear Fabry-Perot interference effects of the linearly polarized incident light.

© 2004 Optical Society of America

1. R. Y. Chiao, E. Garmire, and C. H. Townes, �??Self-trapping of optical beams,�?? Phys. Rev. Lett. 13, 479 (1964). [CrossRef]
2. V. I. Talanov, �??Self-focusing of waves in nonlinear media,�?? JETP Lett. 2, 138 (1965).
3. J. A. Fleck, Jr., and P. L. Kelley, �??Temporal aspect of the self-focusing of optical beams,�?? Appl. Phys. Lett. 15, 313 (1969). [CrossRef]
4. M. D. Feit, and J. A. Fleck, Jr., �??Beam nonparaxiality, filament formation, and beam breakup in the self-focusing of optical beams,�?? J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 5, 633 (1988). [CrossRef]
5. K. D. Moll, A. L. Gaeta, and G. Fibich, �??Self-similar optical wave collapse: observation of the townes profile,�?? Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 203902-1 (2003). [CrossRef]
6. G. Fibich and A. L. Gaeta, �??Critical power for self-focusing in bulk media and in hollow waveguides,�?? Opt. Lett. 25, 335 (2000). [CrossRef]
7. G. Fibich and B. Ilan, �??Multiple filamentation of circularly polarized beams,�?? Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 013901-1 (2002). [CrossRef]
8. G. Fibich and B. Ilan, �??Vectorial and random effects in self-focusing and in multiple filamentation,�?? PHYSICA D 157, 112 (2001). [CrossRef]
9. G. Fibich, W. Ren, and X.-P. Wang, �??Numerical simulations of self-focusing of ultrafast laser pulses,�?? Phys. Rev. E 67, 056603 (2003). [CrossRef]
10. R. M. Joseph, A. Taflove, �??Spatial soliton deflection mechanism indicated by FDTD Maxwell�??s equations modeling,�?? IEEE Photon. Tech. Lett. 6, 1251 (1994). [CrossRef]
11. R. W. Ziolkowski, and J. B. Judkins, �??Full-wave vector Maxwell equation modeling of the self-focusing of ultrashort optical pulses in a nonlinear Kerr medium exhibiting a finite response time,�?? J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 10, 186 (1993). [CrossRef]
12. K. B. Song, J. Lee, J. H. Kim, K. Cho, and S. K. Kim, �??Direct observation of self-focusing with subdiffraction limited resolution using near-field scanning optical microscope,�?? Phy. Rev. Lett. 85, 3842 (2000). [CrossRef]
13. Y. Choi, J. H. Park, M. R. Kim, W. Jhe, and B. K. Rhee, �??Direct observation of self-focusing near the diffraction limit in polycrystalline silicon film,�?? Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 856 (2001) [CrossRef]
14. J. Tominaga, T. Nakano, and N. Atoda, �??An approach for recording and readout beyond the diffraction limit with an Sb thin film,�?? Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 2078 (1998). [CrossRef]
15. K. S. Yee, �??Numerical solution of initial boundary value problems involving Maxwell�??s equations in isotropic media,�?? IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat. 14, 302 (1966). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• J. A. Fleck, Jr., and P. L. Kelley, �??Temporal aspect of the self-focusing of optical beams,�?? Appl. Phys. Lett. 15, 313 (1969). [CrossRef]
• Y. Choi, J. H. Park, M. R. Kim, W. Jhe, and B. K. Rhee, �??Direct observation of self-focusing near the diffraction limit in polycrystalline silicon film,�?? Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 856 (2001) [CrossRef]
• J. Tominaga, T. Nakano, and N. Atoda, �??An approach for recording and readout beyond the diffraction limit with an Sb thin film,�?? Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 2078 (1998). [CrossRef]

IEEE Photon. Tech. Lett.

• R. M. Joseph, A. Taflove, �??Spatial soliton deflection mechanism indicated by FDTD Maxwell�??s equations modeling,�?? IEEE Photon. Tech. Lett. 6, 1251 (1994). [CrossRef]

IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat.

• K. S. Yee, �??Numerical solution of initial boundary value problems involving Maxwell�??s equations in isotropic media,�?? IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat. 14, 302 (1966). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am. B

• R. W. Ziolkowski, and J. B. Judkins, �??Full-wave vector Maxwell equation modeling of the self-focusing of ultrashort optical pulses in a nonlinear Kerr medium exhibiting a finite response time,�?? J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 10, 186 (1993). [CrossRef]
• M. D. Feit, and J. A. Fleck, Jr., �??Beam nonparaxiality, filament formation, and beam breakup in the self-focusing of optical beams,�?? J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 5, 633 (1988). [CrossRef]

JETP Lett.

• V. I. Talanov, �??Self-focusing of waves in nonlinear media,�?? JETP Lett. 2, 138 (1965).

Opt. Lett.

• G. Fibich and A. L. Gaeta, �??Critical power for self-focusing in bulk media and in hollow waveguides,�?? Opt. Lett. 25, 335 (2000). [CrossRef]

Phy. Rev. Lett.

• K. B. Song, J. Lee, J. H. Kim, K. Cho, and S. K. Kim, �??Direct observation of self-focusing with subdiffraction limited resolution using near-field scanning optical microscope,�?? Phy. Rev. Lett. 85, 3842 (2000). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. E

• G. Fibich, W. Ren, and X.-P. Wang, �??Numerical simulations of self-focusing of ultrafast laser pulses,�?? Phys. Rev. E 67, 056603 (2003). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• G. Fibich and B. Ilan, �??Multiple filamentation of circularly polarized beams,�?? Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 013901-1 (2002). [CrossRef]
• R. Y. Chiao, E. Garmire, and C. H. Townes, �??Self-trapping of optical beams,�?? Phys. Rev. Lett. 13, 479 (1964). [CrossRef]
• K. D. Moll, A. L. Gaeta, and G. Fibich, �??Self-similar optical wave collapse: observation of the townes profile,�?? Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 203902-1 (2003). [CrossRef]

PHYSICA D

• G. Fibich and B. Ilan, �??Vectorial and random effects in self-focusing and in multiple filamentation,�?? PHYSICA D 157, 112 (2001). [CrossRef]

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