Abstract

When an ultrashort laser pulse propagates with high peak power in a nonlinear medium, a combination of effects arise that contend and ultimately attain an active stabilization that manifests as a filament. This dynamic structure maintains narrow beam diameters over much greater distances than the typical diffraction length, able to deliver high intensities to long distances without any external focusing or guiding mechanism. In addition, filament propagation produces a string of plasma along the beam path. The unique features of laser filaments have inspired many compelling applications, from remote detection of pollutants to cloud seeding. Achieving these applications requires a thorough understanding of the influence of various conditions and interactions on filament behavior. The work presented in this dissertation aims to characterize the filament in both controlled and in real-world environments to identify the impact of diverse parameters on filamentation. First, a series of experiments and simulations were performed to investigate the effect of pulse-intrinsic and environmental factors on fundamental filament properties, including focal conditions and low-pressure atmospheres. The intent of a secondary series of experiments was to address the complex behavior of filaments in the interaction between neighboring nonlinear beams, both in space and time, concluding with the demonstration and study of a new paradigm of filamentation termed burst-mode filamentation.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2020

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Richardson, Martin

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Physics

Degree Program

Physics

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0008784;DP0025515

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0025515

Language

English

Release Date

June 2026

Length of Campus-only Access

5 years

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Campus-only Access)

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Restricted to the UCF community until June 2026; it will then be open access.

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