29 research outputs found
On the focusing limit of high-power femtosecond laser pulse propagation in air
Focused propagation of high-power femtosecond laser radiation in air is
considered. Based on numerical solution of the nonlinear Schrödinger
equation for complex envelope of light wave electric field, evolution of the
beam effective radius is studied. The dependence of the effective (rms) size
of a focal spot and the maximally achievable intensity of laser radiation at
focal waist on the initial pulse power is established. It is shown that
focal spot of tightly focused intensive ultrashort laser radiation can
change its size during the pulse passage through the beam waist. This is the
consequence of pulse intensity clamping in region of beam focusing caused by
gas photoionization and plasma producing. This may prevent laser intensity
from its further growth in the focal region and arrest the transversal
compression of the beam in the linear focus as a whole