TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-focusing of circularly polarized beams
AU - Fibich, Gadi
AU - Ilan, Boaz
PY - 2003
Y1 - 2003
N2 - We present a systematic study of propagation of circularly polarized beams in a Kerr medium. In contrast to previous studies, vectorial effects (i.e., coupling to the axial component of the electric field and the grad-div term) and nonparaxiality are not neglected in the derivation. This leads to a system of equations that takes into account nonparaxiality, vectorial effects, and coupling to the opposite circular component (i.e., the one rotating in the opposite direction). Using this system we show that the standard model in the literature for self-focusing of circularly polarized beams can lead to completely wrong results, that circular polarization is stable during self-focusing, and that nonparaxiality and vectorial effects arrest collapse, leading instead to focusing-defocusing oscillations. We also show that circularly polarized beams are much less likely to undergo multiple filamentation than linearly polarized beams.
AB - We present a systematic study of propagation of circularly polarized beams in a Kerr medium. In contrast to previous studies, vectorial effects (i.e., coupling to the axial component of the electric field and the grad-div term) and nonparaxiality are not neglected in the derivation. This leads to a system of equations that takes into account nonparaxiality, vectorial effects, and coupling to the opposite circular component (i.e., the one rotating in the opposite direction). Using this system we show that the standard model in the literature for self-focusing of circularly polarized beams can lead to completely wrong results, that circular polarization is stable during self-focusing, and that nonparaxiality and vectorial effects arrest collapse, leading instead to focusing-defocusing oscillations. We also show that circularly polarized beams are much less likely to undergo multiple filamentation than linearly polarized beams.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85037184412&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevE.67.036622
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevE.67.036622
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C2 - 12689194
AN - SCOPUS:85037184412
SN - 1063-651X
VL - 67
SP - 16
JO - Physical Review E - Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics
JF - Physical Review E - Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics
IS - 3
ER -