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Self-Channeling of High-Power Long-Wave Infrared Pulses in Atomic Gases
K Schuh1, M Kolesik1, E M Wright1
1Department of Mathematics, Arizona Center for Mathematical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA and College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|February 25, 2017
Summary
High-power infrared pulses can now travel long distances in atomic gases without losing intensity. This breakthrough overcomes previous range limitations, enabling multi-terawatt pulse transport over kilometers.
Area of Science:
- Nonlinear optics
- Atomic physics
- Laser-matter interactions
Background:
- High-power infrared pulses are crucial for various applications.
- Self-channeling in atomic gases is limited by the Rayleigh range.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the self-channeling of high-power 10-micrometer infrared pulses in atomic gases.
- To overcome the Rayleigh range limitation for long-distance pulse propagation.
Main Methods:
- Numerical simulations of pulse propagation in atomic gases.
- Analysis of self-focusing, diffraction, and plasma-induced defocusing effects.
Main Results:
- Stable peak intensity of infrared pulses maintained over multiple Rayleigh ranges.
- Identification of excitation-induced dephasing due to many-body Coulomb effects as a key mechanism.
- Demonstration of enhanced low-intensity plasma densities.
Conclusions:
- A new paradigm for stable, long-distance propagation of high-power infrared pulses is established.
- The Rayleigh range limit is removed for sources in the 8-12 micrometer atmospheric transmission window.
- Enables kilometer-range transport of multi-terawatt pulses.
