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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
06:16
Femtosecond Laser Filaments for Use in Sub-Diffraction-Limited Imaging and Remote Sensing
Published on: April 25, 2019
Non-Gaussian statistics of multiple filamentation
Pavel M Lushnikov1, Natalia Vladimirova
1Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA. plushnik@math.unm.edu
Optics Letters
|June 16, 2010
Summary
Dissipation in amplified Kerr media prevents filament collapse, leading to optical turbulence. The resulting light amplitude fluctuations show non-Gaussian behavior, indicating strong optical turbulence.
Area of Science:
- Nonlinear optics
- Laser physics
- Wave propagation
Background:
- Multiple filamentation in nonlinear media is a complex phenomenon.
- Dissipation effects, both linear and nonlinear, play a crucial role in arresting filament collapse.
- Understanding light amplitude fluctuations is key to characterizing optical turbulence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the statistical properties of light amplitude fluctuations during multiple filamentation in amplified Kerr media.
- To analyze the impact of linear and nonlinear dissipation on filament dynamics and subsequent wave formation.
- To characterize the probability density function (PDF) of light amplitude, particularly for large amplitudes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of light amplitude fluctuations in amplified Kerr media.
- Modeling of filament propagation considering linear and nonlinear dissipation.
- Calculation of the probability density function (PDF) for light amplitude.
Main Results:
- Dissipation halts catastrophic filament collapse, leading to disintegration into nearly linear waves.
- These waves create a random field that initiates new filament formation.
- For small amplitudes, the PDF is near-Gaussian; for large amplitudes, it exhibits a power-like tail indicating strong non-Gaussian fluctuations (optical turbulence).
Conclusions:
- The observed power-like tail in the PDF signifies strong optical turbulence.
- This intermittency is governed by the universal characteristics of near-singular filaments and their maximum amplitudes.
- The study provides insights into the statistical mechanics of light propagation in dissipative nonlinear media.
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