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Optics Express

Optics Express

  • Editor: C. Martijn de Sterke
  • Vol. 17, Iss. 15 — Jul. 20, 2009
  • pp: 12217–12229

Optics InfoBase > Optics Express > Volume 17 > Issue 15 > Page 12217

Transverse-mode dependence of femtosecond filamentation

Zhenming Song, Zhigang Zhang, and Takashi Nakajima  »View Author Affiliations


Optics Express, Vol. 17, Issue 15, pp. 12217-12229 (2009)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.17.012217


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Abstract

We theoretically investigate the transverse-mode dependence of femtosecond filamentation in Ar gas. Three different transverse modes, Bessel, Gaussian, and Laguerre modes, are considered for incident laser pulses. By solving the extended nonlinear Schrödinger equation coupled with the electron density equation, we find that the lengths of the filament and the plasma channel induced by the Bessel incident beam is much longer than the other transverse modes with the same peak intensity, pulse duration, and beam diameter. Moreover we find that the temporal profile of the pulse with the Bessel incident mode is nearly undistorted during the propagation. Since the pulse energy that the Bessel beam can carry is more than one order of magnitude larger than the other modes for the same peak intensity, pulse duration, and beam diameter, the Bessel beam can be a very powerful tool in ultrafast nonlinear optics involving propagation in a Kerr medium.

© 2009 Optical Society of America

OCIS Codes
(320.2250) Ultrafast optics : Femtosecond phenomena
(320.7110) Ultrafast optics : Ultrafast nonlinear optics

ToC Category:
Ultrafast Optics

History
Original Manuscript: April 16, 2009
Revised Manuscript: June 10, 2009
Manuscript Accepted: June 11, 2009
Published: July 6, 2009

Citation
Zhenming Song, Zhigang Zhang, and Takashi Nakajima, "Transverse-mode dependence of femtosecond filamentation," Opt. Express 17, 12217-12229 (2009)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-17-15-12217


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