Title

Curved Plasma Channel Generation Using Ultraintense Airy Beams

Authors

Authors

P. Polynkin; M. Kolesik; J. V. Moloney; G. A. Siviloglou;D. N. Christodoulides

Abbreviated Journal Title

Science

Keywords

LASER-PULSES; FEMTOSECOND; FILAMENTATION; Multidisciplinary Sciences

Abstract

Plasma channel generation (or filamentation) using ultraintense laser pulses in dielectric media has a wide spectrum of applications, ranging from remote sensing to terahertz generation to lightning control. So far, laser filamentation has been triggered with the use of ultrafast pulses with axially symmetric spatial beam profiles, thereby generating straight filaments. We report the experimental observation of curved plasma channels generated in air using femtosecond Airy beams. In this unusual propagation regime, the tightly confined main intensity feature of the axially nonsymmetric laser beam propagates along a bent trajectory, leaving a curved plasma channel behind. Secondary channels bifurcate from the primary bent channel at several locations along the beam path. The broadband radiation emanating from different longitudinal sections of the curved filament propagates along angularly resolved trajectories.

Journal Title

Science

Volume

324

Issue/Number

5924

Publication Date

1-1-2009

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

229

Last Page

232

WOS Identifier

WOS:000265024400040

ISSN

0036-8075

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