RSS feeds
РусскийEnglish
Issue 4, 2026
Volume year page
Issues Authors PACS Subscription For authors

Issues

 / 

2013

 / 

February

←  →

Reviews of topical problems


From self-focusing light beams to femtosecond laser pulse filamentation

 a,  b
a Institute of Spectroscopy, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Fizicheskaya 5, Troitsk, Moscow, 108840, Russian Federation
b Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Physics, Leninskie Gory 1 build. 2, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation

2012 marked the 50th anniversary of the first published prediction of the self-focusing phenomenon in light beams. The recent revived interest in the subject is due to advances in high-power femtosecond laser technology and due to the possibility they provided of creating extended filaments of high light field intensity in gases and condensed media. This review shows in retrospect how our understanding of the self-action of light evolved from the self-focusing of laser beams in the 1960s to the filamentation of femtosecond laser pulses at present. We also describe the current status of this rapidly growing area of nonlinear optics and laser physics. Finally, we discuss, in general terms, what the phenomena of laser beam self-focusing and laser pulse filamentation have in common and how they differ.

Fulltext pdf (1.8 MB)
Fulltext is also available at DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.0183.201302b.0133
PACS: 42.65.−k, 42.65.Jx, 42.65.Ky, 42.65.Re, 52.38.Hb (all)
DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.0183.201302b.0133
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2013/2/b/
000319332300002
2013PhyU...56..123C
Citation: Chekalin S V, Kandidov V P "From self-focusing light beams to femtosecond laser pulse filamentation" Phys. Usp. 56 123–140 (2013)
BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks

Received: 14th, February 2012, revised: 30th, March 2012, 3rd, April 2012

Оригинал: Чекалин С В, Кандидов В П «От самофокусировки световых пучков — к филаментации лазерных импульсов» УФН 183 133–152 (2013); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0183.201302b.0133

References (163) Cited by (169) ↓ Similar articles (20)

  1. Patel K, Braun E L et al Appl. Opt. 65 (1) 133 (2026)
  2. Cui J 崔, Zhang Zh 张 et al Chin. J. Laser 53 (2) 0205003 (2026)
  3. Pershin S M, Bunkin A F et al Jetp Lett. 122 (10) 623 (2025)
  4. Geints Yu E, Minina O V Atmos Ocean Opt 38 (S1) S25 (2025)
  5. Khandale K Y, Patil S D, Takale M V J Opt 54 (5) 3087 (2025)
  6. Wang M, Yan Ch et al Materials Letters 392 138476 (2025)
  7. Gulina Yu S, Zhu J et al Jetp Lett. 122 (1) 32 (2025)
  8. Martynovich E F, Frolova A S, Rakevich A L Laser & Photonics Reviews 19 (10) (2025)
  9. Shi J, Li M et al Optics & Laser Technology 183 112243 (2025)
  10. Blair G, Hafizi B, Sprangle P Phys. Rev. A 112 (3) (2025)
  11. Geints Yu E, Bulygin A D et al Phys. Rev. A 112 (4) (2025)
  12. Ji L 季, Zhang S 张 et al 光学学报 45 (2) 0200001 (2025)
  13. Hongxun X, Tat L Ch Opt. Express 33 (5) 10342 (2025)
  14. Geints Yu E, Kompanets V O et al Optics & Laser Technology 191 113370 (2025)
  15. Geints Yu  E, Minina O  V Bull. Lebedev Phys. Inst. 52 (S13) S1406 (2025)
  16. Sinha A, Zare S et al Chinese Journal Of Physics 93 310 (2025)
  17. Khandale K Y, Patil S S et al J Opt 54 (3) 1066 (2025)
  18. Geints Yu E, Kompanets V O, Chekalin S V Optics Communications 596 132584 (2025)
  19. Wang H 王, Zhou X 周 et al Chin. J. Laser 52 (19) 1908010 (2025)
  20. Geints Yu E Optics Communications 573 131007 (2024)
  21. Shishkov G M, Grigoriev K S, Makarov V A Laser Phys. Lett. 21 (2) 025402 (2024)
  22. Bogatskaya A V, Volkova E A, Popov A M Physics of Plasmas 31 (7) (2024)
  23. Geints Yu E, Geints I Yu et al Physics of Plasmas 31 (8) (2024)
  24. Kuznetsov N Yu, Grigoriev K S, Makarov V A Jetp Lett. 120 (9) 636 (2024)
  25. Kuznetsov N Yu, Grigor’ev K S, Makarov V A Pisʹma V žurnal êksperimentalʹnoj I Teoretičeskoj Fiziki 120 (9-10) 661 (2024)
  26. Kinyaevskiy I O, Koribut A V et al Jetp Lett. 119 (1) 10 (2024)
  27. Apeksimov D V, Babushkin P A et al Atmosphere 15 (7) 813 (2024)
  28. Chao J, Wang G et al J Mater Sci 59 (29) 13433 (2024)
  29. Geints Yu E, Minina O V Atmos Ocean Opt 37 (2) 183 (2024)
  30. Kinyaevskiy I O, Koribut A V et al Pisʹma V žurnal êksperimentalʹnoj I Teoretičeskoj Fiziki 119 (1-2) 9 (2024)
  31. Luo J 罗, Ji X 季, Li X 李 Chin. J. Laser 51 (5) 0505001 (2024)
  32. Krasin G K, Gulina Yu S et al Photonics 10 (2) 106 (2023)
  33. (INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF NUMERICAL ANALYSIS AND APPLIED MATHEMATICS ICNAAM 2021) Vol. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF NUMERICAL ANALYSIS AND APPLIED MATHEMATICS ICNAAM 2021UV nanosecond laser optical breakdown and filamentation in bulk waterH. T.WaloyoC. K.LinP. C.TugJ. R.Ho2849 (2023) p. 090001
  34. Geints Yu E, Minina O V et al Optics Communications 543 129595 (2023)
  35. Apeksimov D V, Geints Yu E et al Appl. Opt. 62 (24) 6401 (2023)
  36. Zemlyanov A A, Minina O V Atmos Ocean Opt 36 (4) 314 (2023)
  37. Zhang Zh, Ji X, Zhang H Optics Communications 537 129453 (2023)
  38. Bugay A N, Khalyapin V A Laser Phys. 33 (12) 126001 (2023)
  39. Zhang Zh, Chang H, Ji X Opt. Express 31 (24) 39867 (2023)
  40. Zemlyanov A A, Minina O V et al XVI International Conference on Pulsed Lasers and Laser Applications, (2023) p. 16
  41. Bulygin A, Geints Yu J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 40 (9) 2339 (2023)
  42. Pu L, Li X, Ji X IEEE Photonics J. 15 (2) 1 (2023)
  43. Bogatskaya A V, Volkova E A, Popov A M Photonics 10 (2) 113 (2023)
  44. Karpova M, Kirilenko M 2023 IX International Conference on Information Technology and Nanotechnology (ITNT), (2023) p. 1
  45. Li Q 李, Li T 李 et al 光学学报 43 (12) 1201005 (2023)
  46. Geints I Y, Kompanets V O et al Laser Phys. Lett. 20 (1) 015401 (2023)
  47. Zemlyanov A A, Minina O V 2023 IEEE XVI International Scientific and Technical Conference Actual Problems of Electronic Instrument Engineering (APEIE), (2023) p. 1330
  48. Purohit G, Sharma R K, Kothiyal P J Opt 52 (3) 1162 (2023)
  49. Ahmed A S, Salih H A, Hassoon Kh I Braz J Phys 53 (4) (2023)
  50. Zhang G, Ji X Phys. Scr. 98 (6) 065522 (2023)
  51. Gulina Yu, Zhu J et al Photonics 10 (10) 1177 (2023)
  52. Bogatskaya A V, Volkova E A, Popov A M Photonics 10 (5) 585 (2023)
  53. Babenko V A, Sychev A A Bull. Lebedev Phys. Inst. 50 (7) 300 (2023)
  54. Geints Yu, Minina O, Zemlyanov A J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 39 (6) 1549 (2022)
  55. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A, Minina O V Atmos Ocean Opt 35 (5) 475 (2022)
  56. Gordeev A A, Efimkov V F, Zubarev I G Quantum Electron. 52 (4) 328 (2022)
  57. Kuznetsov N Yu, Grigoriev K S, Makarov V A Laser Phys. Lett. 19 (8) 085401 (2022)
  58. Apeksimov D V, Bulygin A V et al J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 39 (12) 3237 (2022)
  59. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A et al 28th International Symposium on Atmospheric and Ocean Optics: Atmospheric Physics, (2022) p. 65
  60. Kandidov V P, Zaloznaya E D et al Quantum Electron. 52 (3) 233 (2022)
  61. Arkhipov M V, Tsypkin A N et al Jetp Lett. 115 (1) 1 (2022)
  62. Dormidonov A E, Zaloznaya E D et al Jetp Lett. 115 (1) 11 (2022)
  63. Bugay A N, Khalyapin V A Laser Phys. 32 (2) 025401 (2022)
  64. Geints Y E, Ionin A A et al Laser Phys. 31 (7) 075402 (2021)
  65. Purohit G, Gaur B et al Opt Quant Electron 53 (10) (2021)
  66. Shishkov G M, Grigoriev K S, Makarov V A J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 38 (10) 2932 (2021)
  67. Hang Z, Ji X et al Optics Communications 498 127210 (2021)
  68. Kuryak A N, Tikhomirov B A Opt. Spectrosc. 129 (10) 1125 (2021)
  69. Deng Yu, Ji X et al IEEE Photonics J. 13 (3) 1 (2021)
  70. Oreshkin V I, Oreshkin E V Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 63 (12) 125013 (2021)
  71. Fan X, Ji X et al J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 38 (2) 168 (2021)
  72. Tokarev V N, Melnikov I V Applied Sciences 11 (4) 1732 (2021)
  73. Kuznetsov A V, Dormidonov A E et al Quantum Electron. 51 (8) 670 (2021)
  74. Chekalin S V, Kompanets V O Jetp Lett. 113 (11) 677 (2021)
  75. Geints Yu E, Mokrousova D V et al Optics & Laser Technology 143 107377 (2021)
  76. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A J. Opt. 23 (10) 105502 (2021)
  77. Huang Z-Yu, Deng Yu, Ji X-L Acta Phys. Sin. 70 (23) 234202 (2021)
  78. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A et al XV International Conference on Pulsed Lasers and Laser Applications, (2021) p. 11
  79. Zaloznaya E D, Dormidonov A E et al Jetp Lett. 113 (12) 787 (2021)
  80. Zaloznaya E, Kompanets V et al Appl. Phys. B 127 (3) (2021)
  81. Pushkarev D V, Lar’kin A S et al Opt. Express 29 (21) 34189 (2021)
  82. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A Atmos Ocean Opt 34 (6) 517 (2021)
  83. Panov N A, Shipilo D E et al J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1692 (1) 012019 (2020)
  84. Myslitskaya N A, Tsibul’nikova A V et al Opt. Spectrosc. 128 (12) 1954 (2020)
  85. Rahman K A, Braun E L et al Opt. Lett. 45 (2) 503 (2020)
  86. Kudryashov S, Samokhvalov A et al Laser Phys. Lett. 17 (10) 105302 (2020)
  87. Romashenko O P, Kornev A S, Zon B A Atmos Ocean Opt 33 (5) 439 (2020)
  88. Geints Yu E, Ionin A et al Technologies for Optical Countermeasures XVII; and High-Power Lasers: Technology and Systems, Platforms, Effects IV, (2020) p. 13
  89. Kompanets V O, Shipilo D E et al Jetp Lett. 111 (1) 31 (2020)
  90. Chekalin S V, Kompanets V O et al Phys.-Usp. 62 (3) 282 (2019)
  91. Deng Yu, Ji X et al Opt. Express 27 (10) 14585 (2019)
  92. Sazonov S V Phys. Rev. A 100 (4) (2019)
  93. Geints Yu E, Ionin A A et al J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 36 (10) G19 (2019)
  94. Mareev E I, Potemkin F V et al Laser Phys. Lett. 16 (3) 035401 (2019)
  95. Bogatskaya A, Schegolev A et al Photonics 6 (3) 84 (2019)
  96. Bykovskii N E, Senatskii Yu V Phys. Solid State 61 (11) 2110 (2019)
  97. Grigoriev K S, Makarov V A J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 36 (6) 1690 (2019)
  98. Kiel F, Bulgakova N M et al Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, (2019) p. JTu2A.47
  99. Zvorykin V, Ionin A et al J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 36 (10) G25 (2019)
  100. Kopytin I V, Kornev A S, Zon B A Laser Phys. 29 (9) 095301 (2019)
  101. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A, Minina O V Atmos Ocean Opt 32 (4) 420 (2019)
  102. Grigoriev K S, Makarov V A Jetp Lett. 109 (10) 642 (2019)
  103. Kudryashov S I, Samokhvalov A A et al J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 36 (2) A125 (2019)
  104. Chekalin S V, Dormidonov A E et al J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 36 (2) A43 (2019)
  105. Wang H, Ji X-L et al Journal Of Quantitative Spectroscopy And Radiative Transfer 235 244 (2019)
  106. Shen X, Wang P et al Opt. Express 27 (8) 10586 (2019)
  107. Trokhimchuck P P 2019 IEEE 8th International Conference on Advanced Optoelectronics and Lasers (CAOL), (2019) p. 1
  108. Makarov V A Springer Series In Optical Sciences Vol. Quantum Photonics: Pioneering Advances and Emerging ApplicationsNonlinear Optics with Elliptically Polarized Singular Beams and Short Pulses in Media with Spatial Dispersion217 Chapter 9 (2019) p. 317
  109. Kudryashov S I, Samokhvalov A A et al Jetp Lett. 109 (5) 298 (2019)
  110. Kiel F, Bulgakova N M et al Phys. Rev. Applied 11 (2) (2019)
  111. Geints Yu, Minina O, Zemlyanov A J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 36 (11) 3209 (2019)
  112. Tarasova M, Khorkov K, Prokoshev V Materials Today: Proceedings 11 471 (2019)
  113. Ilyin A A, Mayor A Yu, Proschenko D Yu Tech. Phys. Lett. 44 (11) 959 (2018)
  114. Khorkov K S, Kochuev D A et al 2018 International Conference Laser Optics (ICLO), (2018) p. 357
  115. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A et al 24th International Symposium on Atmospheric and Ocean Optics: Atmospheric Physics, (2018) p. 42
  116. Fedotova O M, Khasanov O et al Ultrafast Bandgap Photonics III, (2018) p. 62
  117. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A Phys. Rev. A 98 (2) (2018)
  118. Chekalin S V, Kompanets V O et al Bull. Russ. Acad. Sci. Phys. 82 (8) 998 (2018)
  119. Zaloznaya E D, Kandidov V P et al 24th International Symposium on Atmospheric and Ocean Optics: Atmospheric Physics, (2018) p. 196
  120. Zemlyanov A A, Bulygin A D Russ Phys J 61 (2) 357 (2018)
  121. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A, Minina O V Atmos Ocean Opt 31 (6) 611 (2018)
  122. Dresvyanskiy V P, Zilov S A et al J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1115 052028 (2018)
  123. Zaloznaya E, Kandidov V et al Laser Communication and Propagation through the Atmosphere and Oceans VII, (2018) p. 13
  124. Tarasova M A, Khorkov K S et al Bull. Lebedev Phys. Inst. 45 (8) 246 (2018)
  125. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A Atmos Ocean Opt 31 (2) 112 (2018)
  126. Zhang Yu, Ji X et al Opt. Express 25 (18) 21329 (2017)
  127. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A et al Atmos Ocean Opt 30 (3) 217 (2017)
  128. (19th International Conference and School on Quantum Electronics: Laser Physics and Applications) Vol. 19th International Conference and School on Quantum Electronics: Laser Physics and Applications Avalanche parametric conversion in the initial moment of filamentation TanjaDreischuhSankaGatevaAlbenaDaskalovaAlexandrosSerafetinidesD.GeorgievaL.KovachevN.Nedyalkov10226 (2017) p. 102261G
  129. Zheltikov A M Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk 187 (11) 1169 (2017) [Zheltikov A M Phys.-Usp. 60 (11) 1087 (2017)]
  130. Kornev A S, Chernov V E, Zon B A Phys. Rev. A 96 (5) (2017)
  131. Kandidov V, Chekalin S et al EPJ Web Conf. 161 01006 (2017)
  132. Geints Y E, Zemlyanov A A Appl. Opt. 56 (5) 1397 (2017)
  133. Apeksimov D V, Zemlyanov A A et al Atmos Ocean Opt 30 (5) 451 (2017)
  134. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A J. Opt. 19 (10) 105502 (2017)
  135. Apeksimov D V, Golik S S et al Atmos Ocean Opt 30 (3) 222 (2017)
  136. Khorkov K S, Kochuev D A et al Bull. Russ. Acad. Sci. Phys. 81 (12) 1438 (2017)
  137. Zhuravlev V M, Zolotovskii I O, Mironov P P Opt. Spectrosc. 122 (5) 774 (2017)
  138. Bychkov A S, Cherepetskaya E B et al Laser Phys. Lett. 13 (8) 085401 (2016)
  139. Geints Yu E, Zemlyanov A A J. Opt. 18 (1) 015501 (2016)
  140. Voronin A A, Zheltikov A M Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk 186 (9) 957 (2016)
  141. Perin A S, Shandarov V M, Ryabchenok V Yu Phys. Wave Phen. 24 (1) 7 (2016)
  142. Dzedolik I V Springer Series In Optical Sciences Vol. Contemporary OptoelectronicsPhonon-Polaritons in Nonlinear Dielectric Medium199 Chapter 1 (2016) p. 3
  143. Geints Yu E, Golik S S et al Atmos Ocean Opt 29 (2) 141 (2016)
  144. Li Sh-L, Deng F-M, Huang Z-P Opt. Eng 55 (10) 107104 (2016)
  145. Dzedolik I V, Pereskokov V J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 737 012006 (2016)
  146. Sautenkov V A, Shneĭder M N et al J. Opt. Technol. 83 (11) 667 (2016)
  147. Kocharovsky V V, Kocharovsky V V et al Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk 186 (12) 1267 (2016) [Kocharovsky V V, Kocharovsky V V et al Phys.-Usp. 59 (12) 1165 (2016)]
  148. Voronin A A, Ya P V, Zheltikov A M Laser Phys. Lett. 13 (6) 065403 (2016)
  149. Zemlyanov A A, Bulygin A D et al Atmos Ocean Opt 29 (5) 395 (2016)
  150. Khorkov K S, Kochuev D A et al 2016 International Conference Laser Optics (LO), (2016) p. R8-52
  151. Geints Yu E, Ionin A A et al J. Opt. 18 (9) 095503 (2016)
  152. (22nd International Symposium on Atmospheric and Ocean Optics: Atmospheric Physics) Vol. 22nd International Symposium on Atmospheric and Ocean Optics: Atmospheric Physics The influence of energy and temporal characteristics of laser radiation on the structure of multiple filamentation domain in glass Gennadii G.MatvienkoOleg A.RomanovskiiD. V.ApeksimovS. S.GolikA. A.ZemlyanovA. M.KabanovA. Yu.MayorA. V.Petrov10035 (2016) p. 100352K
  153. Georgieva D A, Kovachev L M (AIP Conference Proceedings) Vol. 1685 (2015) p. 080005
  154. Wang N, Tan Ch, Fu X Opt Quant Electron 47 (8) 2697 (2015)
  155. Purohit G, Rawat P et al Phys. Plasmas 22 (5) 052116 (2015)
  156. Kovachev L M, Georgieva D A, Dakova A M Laser Phys. 25 (10) 105402 (2015)
  157. Kornev A S, Zon B A Phys. Rev. A 92 (3) (2015)
  158. Zorov N B, Popov A M et al Russ. Chem. Rev. 84 (10) 1021 (2015)
  159. Khalyapin V A Opt. Spectrosc. 119 (1) 135 (2015)
  160. Zhao J, Chu W et al Sci Rep 4 (1) (2014)
  161. Apeksimov D V, Bukin O A et al Phys. Wave Phen. 22 (3) 159 (2014)
  162. Genc S L, Ma H, Venugopalan V Applied Physics Letters 105 (6) (2014)
  163. Chekalin S V Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk 184 (6) 672 (2014) [Chekalin S V Phys.-Usp. 57 (6) 622 (2014)]
  164. Sazonov S V J. Exp. Theor. Phys. 119 (3) 423 (2014)
  165. Chekalin S V, Dokukina A E et al Quantum Electron. 44 (6) 570 (2014)
  166. Chekalin S V, Smetanina E O et al Quantum Electron. 44 (6) 577 (2014)
  167. Bugai A N, Sazonov S V Jetp Lett. 98 (10) 638 (2014)
  168. Isaenko O I Semicond. Phys. Quantum Electron. Optoelectron. 17 (2) 205 (2014)
  169. Abramov D V, Arakelyan S M et al Tech. Phys. Lett. 39 (8) 719 (2013)
© 1918–2026 Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk
Email: ufn@ufn.ru Editorial office contacts About the journal Terms and conditions