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