Critical power for self-focusing in the case of ultrashort laser pulses

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44 Scopus citations

Abstract

We attempt to evaluate the applicability of the concept of the critical power for self-focusing, originally developed for intense quasi-continuous-wave (cw) beams, to the case of ultra-intense and ultrashort laser pulses propagating in air. Our results show that, unlike in the cw case, no particular value of peak pulse power can be viewed as a sharp demarcation line between linear and nonlinear propagation regimes. Our analysis further reveals the important role played by chromatic dispersion in the propagation dynamics of the laser pulse.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number053829
JournalPhysical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
Volume87
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 23 2013

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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