Terahertz pulse emission optimization from tailored femtosecond laser pulse filamentation in air.

We study the generation of intense terahertz pulses produced by two-color laser pulse filamentation in air. We tailor the filamentation process and the produced plasma strings and study how the generated terahertz field is modified. An important terahertz pulse shortening is found for plasma strings with uniform electron density.

Linear X-wave generation by means of cross-phase modulation in Kerr media.

We exploit cross-phase modulation by a strong driving pulse onto a weaker probe pulse at a different wavelength to induce the formation of an X wave possessing the typical nondispersive and nondiffractive propagation properties.

Kerr-induced spontaneous Bessel beam formation in the regime of strong two-photon absorption.

We study the effect of Two-Photon Absorption (TPA) nonlinear losses on Gaussian pulses, with power that exceeds the critical power for self-focusing, propagating in bulk kerr media. Experiments performed in fused silica and silicon highlight a spontaneous reshaping of the input pulse into a pulsed Bessel beam. A filament is formed in which sub-diffractive propagation is sustained by the Bessel-nature of the pulse.

Spatio-temporal reshaping and X Wave dynamics in optical filaments.

Focus Serial: Frontiers of Nonlinear Optics