Open AccessSelf-compression of 2 μm laser filaments
Author(s) -
Luc Bergé
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.021529
Subject(s) - filamentation , optics , xenon , laser , attosecond , pulse compression , wavelength , self phase modulation , materials science , physics , argon , harmonics , high harmonic generation , ultrashort pulse , nonlinear optics , atomic physics , telecommunications , radar , quantum mechanics , voltage , computer science
We numerically study the filamentation of ultrashort laser pulses at 2 microm carrier wavelength in noble gases (argon, xenon) and in air. Compared with filamentation in the near-visible domain (800 nm), mid-infrared optical sources with durations close to a single cycle can be generically produced at various pressures and powers near the self-focusing threshold. The mechanism by which self-compression takes place mainly involves optical self-focusing, pulse steepening and plasma defocusing. On-axis spectra and spectral phases are discussed. Delivering single-cycled pulses at long wavelengths has important applications in the generation of high-order harmonics and isolated attosecond pulses.