Skip to main content

Self-Focusing of Optical Beams

  • Chapter
Self-focusing: Past and Present

Part of the book series: Topics in Applied Physics ((TAP,volume 114))

Abstract

The nonlinear index of refraction is responsible for self-action effects in optical beam propagation, including self-focusing. We review self-focusing and related phenomena and discuss physical mechanisms that give rise to the refractive index nonlinearity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. G.A. Askar’yan: Effects of the gradient of a strong electromagnetic beam on electrons and atoms, JETP 15, 1088–1090 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  2. R. Chaio, E.M. Garmire, C.H. Townes: Self-trapping of optical beams, Phys. Rev. Lett. 13, 479–482 (1964); erratum, ibid, 14, 1056 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  3. V.I. Talanov: Self-focusing of electromagnetic waves in nonlinear media, Radiophys. 8, 254–257 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  4. V.I. Talanov: Self-focusing of wave beams in nonlinear media, Radiophys. 9, 138–141 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  5. P.L. Kelley: Self-focusing of optical beams, Phys. Rev. Lett. 15, 1005–1008 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. N.F. Pilipetskii, A.R. Rustamov: Observation of self-focusing of light in liquids, JETP Lett. 2, 55–56 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Y.R. Shen, Y.J. Shaham: Beam deterioration and stimulated Raman effect, Phys. Rev. Lett. 15, 1008–1010 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. P. Lallemand, N. Bloembergen: Self-focusing of laser beams and stimulated Raman gain in liquids, Phys. Rev. Lett. 15, 1010–1012 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. V. Bespalov, V.I. Talanov: Filamentary structure of light beams in nonlinear liquids, JETP Lett. 3, 307–309 (1966).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. R.Y. Chiao, P.L. Kelley, E.M. Garmire: Stimulated four-photon interaction and its influence on stimulated Rayleigh-wing scattering, Phys. Rev. Lett. 17, 1158–1161 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. R.L. Carman, R.Y. Chiao, P.L. Kelley: Observation of degenerate stimulated four-photon interaction and four-wave parametric amplification, Phys. Rev. Lett. 17, 1281–1283 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. R.Y. Chiao, M.A. Johnson, S. Krinsky et al.: A new class of trapped light filaments, IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-2, 467–469 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. A.J. Campillo, S.L. Shapiro, B.R. Suydam: Periodic breakup of optical beams due to self-focusing, Appl. Phys. Lett. 23, 628–630 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. S.A. Akhmanov, R. Khokhlov, A.P. Sukhorukov: Self-focusing, self-defocusing and self-modulation of laser beams. In: Laser Handbook, F.T. Arecchi, E.O. Schulz-Dubois, (Eds.), North-Holland, Amsterdam (1972), vol. 2, pages 1152–1228.

    Google Scholar 

  15. O. Svelto: Self-focusing, self-trapping and self-phase modulation of laser beams. In: Progress in Optics, Vol. XII, E. Wolf (Ed), North Holland, Amsterdam (1974), pages 3–51.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Y.R. Shen: Self-focusing: experimental, Prog. Quant. Electron. 4, 1–34 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. J.H. Marburger: Self-focusing: theory, Prog. Quant. Electron. 4, 35–110 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. J.J. Rasmussen, K. Rypdal: Blow-up in nonlinear Schrödinger equations: I A general review, Physica Scripta 33, 481–497 (1986).

    Article  MATH  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  19. K. Rypdal, J.J. Rasmussen: Blow-up in nonlinear Schrödinger equations: II Similarity structure of the blow-up singularity, Physica Scripta 33, 498–504 (1986).

    Article  MATH  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  20. A.L. Dyshko, V.N. Lugovoi, A.M. Prokhorov: Self-focusing of intense light beams, JETP Lett. 6, 146–148 (1967).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. V.N. Lugovoi, A.M. Prokhorov: A possible explanation of the small scale self-focusing light filaments, JETP Lett. 7, 117–119 (1968).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. J.-P.E. Taran, T.K. Gustafson: Comments on the self-focusing of short light pulses, IEEE J. Quant. Electron. 5, 381–382 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. M.M.T. Loy, Y.R. Shen: Small-scale filaments in liquids and tracks of moving foci, Phys. Rev. Lett. 22, 994–997 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. M.M.T. Loy, Y.R. Shen: Experimental study of small-scale filaments of light in liquids, Phys. Rev. Lett. 25, 1333–1336 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Y.R. Shen, M.M.T. Loy: Theoretical interpretation of small-scale filaments originating from moving focal spots, Phys. Rev. A 3, 2099–2105 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Y.S. Kivshar, G.P. Agrawal: Optical Solitons, Academic Press, Boston (2003).

    Google Scholar 

  27. P.L. Kelley: Nonlinear index of refraction and self-action effects in optical propagation, IEEE Sel. Top. Quant. Electron. 6, 1259–1264 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. M. Guizar-Sicairos, J.C. Gutierrez-Vega: Computation of quasi-discrete Hankel transforms of integer order for propagating optical wave fields, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A21, 53–58 (2004).

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  29. S.N. Vlasov, V.A. Petrishchev, V.I. Talanov: Averaged description of wave beams in linear and nonlinear media (the method of moments), Quantum Electron. Radiophys. 14, 1062–1070 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. T.K. Gustafson, P.L. Kelley, R. Chiao et al.: Self-trapping of optical beams, Appl. Phys. Lett. 12, 165–168 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. J. Marburger, L. Huff, J. Reichert et al.: Stationary self-trapping of optical beams in dense media with Lorentz local-field corrections, Phys. Rev. 184, 255–259 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. T.K. Gustafson, C.H. Townes: Influence of steric effects and compressibility on nonlinear response to laser pulses and the diameters of self-trapped filaments, Phys. Rev. A 6, 1659–1664 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. P.L. Kelley, T.K. Gustafson: Backward stimulated light scattering and the limiting diameters of self-focused light beams, Phys. Rev. A 8, 315–318 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. E. Yablonovitch, N. Bloembergen: Avalanche ionization and the limiting diameter of filaments induced by light pulses in transparent media, Phys. Rev. Lett. 29, 907–910 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. J. Kasparian, R. Sauerbrey, S.L. Chin: The critical laser intensity of self-guided light filaments in air, Appl. Phys. B 71, 877–879 (2000).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. A. Couairon, L. Berge: Light filaments in air for ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths, Phys. Rev. Lett. 71, 35003 1–4 (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  37. Y. Silberberg: Collapse of optical pulses, Optics Lett. 15, 1282–1284 (1990).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  38. V.E. Zakharov, A.B. Shabat: Exact theory of two-dimensional self-focusing and one-dimensional self-modulation of waves in nonlinear media, JETP 34, 62–69 (1972).

    ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Y. Chiao .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Chiao, R.Y., Gustafson, T., Kelley, P. (2009). Self-Focusing of Optical Beams. In: Boyd, R.W., Lukishova, S.G., Shen, Y. (eds) Self-focusing: Past and Present. Topics in Applied Physics, vol 114. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-34727-1_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics