Competition between multiphoton/tunnel ionization and filamentation induced by powerful femtosecond laser pulses in air
W. Liu, Q. Luo, and S. L. Chin
Chinese Optics Letters , Vol.01 , Issue 01 , PP.56-56(2003)

Keywords(OCIS Code)
320.7120 (ultrafast phenomena), 320.7150 (ultrafast spectroscopy), 300.2530 (fluorescence, laser-induced), 020.4180 (multiphoton processes).

Abstract
In this work we present experiments by focusing 42 femtosecond laser pulses in air using three different focal length lenses: f=100, 30 and 5 cm. For the longest focal length, only the filament, which is a weak plasma column, is observed. When the shorter focal length lens is used, a high density plasma is generated near the geometrical focus and coexists with a weak plasma channel of the filament. Under the tightest focusing condition, filamentation is prevented and only a strong plasma volume appears at the geometrical focus.

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Manuscript Accepted:2002-11-8
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Column:ultrafast optics
Note: W. Liu's e-mail address is wliu@phy.ulaval.ca.

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