[en] We report the results of investigation of femtosecond laser pulse filamentation in fused silica by varying the wavelength in the range from 800 to 2300 nm. It is shown that in the case of the anomalous group-velocity dispersion, a sequence of 'light bullets' with a high spatial and temporal localisation of the light field is formed along the filament. The relation of the formation and propagation of light bullets with the formation of an isolated anti-Stokes wing of the supercontinuum spectrum is established. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

[en] We have studied numerically the evolution of the light field intensity and induced refractive index of a medium upon filamentation of femtosecond laser radiation in air. It is shown that the intensity clamping results from the dynamic balance of optical powers of nonlinear lenses, induced by radiation due to the Kerr nonlinearity of air, and laser plasma produced during photoionisation. We have found the relation between the peak values of the light field intensity and the electron density in laser-produced plasma, as well as the transverse sizes of the filament and the plasma channel. (effects of laser radiation on matter)

[en] We have studied experimentally and analytically the formation of the supercontinuum (SC) spectrum during femtosecond laser pulse filamentation in fused silica under conditions of zero and anomalous group velocity dispersions. It is found that with increasing centre wavelength from 1300 to 2300 nm, the SC spectrum of the anti-Stokes wing narrows, shifting to the blue. It is shown that the anti-Stokes (blue) shift of the SC spectrum increases with the multiphoton order of the medium ionisation by the light field in the filament. It is found that a broad minimum in the SC spectrum, separating the anti-Stokes wing from the centre wavelength, is a result of the interference of radiation from a moving broadband source, stemming from self-phase modulation of the high-intensity light field. The interference factors of the SC spectra obtained for this source, which moves along the emitting region of the filament in a dispersive medium, are in agreement with experimental and numerical results. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

[en] We report the results of theoretical and experimental research on spectrum transformation and spatiotemporal distribution of the femtosecond laser radiation intensity during filamentation in fused silica. The formation of light bullets with a high power density is first observed in a femtosecond laser pulse in the anomalous group velocity dispersion regime at a wavelength of 1800 nm. The minimum duration of the light bullet is about two oscillation cycles of the light field. (extreme light fields and their applications)

[en] A dynamic model is proposed for collective operation of an array of diffraction-coupled waveguide lasers in an external cavity. The selective properties of a Talbot cavity predicted by this model match experimental results. A study is made of the transient process of evolution of collective lasing in one-dimensional and two-dimensional arrays. A statistical sampling method is used to show that the probability of establishing phase-locked operation as a result of this transient process is close to unity when the gain is low, but the probability falls on increase in the gain. (control of laser radiation parameters)

[en] Stationary self-focusing of collimated elliptic Gaussian beams is studied numerically. It is shown that the critical self-focusing power increases with increasing the axial ratio of the initial elliptic cross section. Self-focusing is accompanied by oscillations of the beam transverse size caused by the competition between the diffraction-limited divergence and nonlinear compression. As the power of the beam with the axial ratio a/b≥3 increases, aberration self-focusing occurs, at which, after the formation and competition of several intensity maxima in the beam cross section, a global maximum appears at the beam centre, which forms a nonlinear focus. The approximation formula for the self-focusing distance is generalised to elliptic beams. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

[en] A technique for phase filtering of the inphase collective mode of a laser array in the Talbot resonator is developed. This technique is based on the formation of the phase distribution of the inphase mode field of the linear array with the finite number of channels close to that of the field of the infinite periodic structure. A simple scheme of the phase corrector, providing the increase in the selectivity of the inphase mode of the laser array in the Talbot resonator, is proposed. It is shown that the width of the principal maximum of the far-field intensity does not increase during the phase filtering. (control of laser radiation parameters)

[en] The formation of plasma channels of a femtosecond laser pulse in the bulk of fused silica is studied by numerical simulation, and the advantages of using a conical lens (axicon) over conventional parabolic lenses are shown. It is found that the length of the plasma channel formed with the help of an axicon exceeds the length of the channel formed upon lens focusing. (interaction of laser radiation with matter. laser plasma)

[en] The state of the art of investigations on filamentation of a high-power femtosecond laser radiation in transparent media is reviewed. The physical picture of this phenomenon is presented and its relation to the fundamental concepts of nonlinear optics and practical applications is demonstrated. Experimental and theoretical methods are briefly considered and laser radiation parameters in the case of filamentation are given. The review can be of interest both for specialists and researches wanting to become familiar with a new, rapidly developing direction in laser physics. (review)

[en] The possibility of controlling the processes of filamentation and generation of a supercontinuum during propagation of a high-power femtosecond laser pulse in air is investigated. Using a numerical simulation, it is shown that the initial phase modulation of the pulse results in a shift of the beginning of the filament from the output aperture of the laser system and in a significant increase in the filament length. The efficiency of the generation of the short-wavelength part of the supercontinuum in a pulse with a negative phase modulation is more than two orders of magnitude higher than for a pulse with a limited spectrum. (nonlinear optical phenomena)