Triggering filamentation using turbulence

Authors :: Debbie Eeltink
Maura Brunetti
Jérôme Kasparian
Nicolas Berti
Julien Gateau
Nadège Marchiando
Jean-Pierre Wolf
Sylvain Hermelin
Source :: Physical Review. A, Vol. 94, No 3 (2016) P. 033806
Publication Year :: 2016
Publisher :: American Physical Society (APS), 2016.
Abstract: We study the triggering of single filaments due to turbulence in the beam path for a laser of power below the filamenting threshold. Turbulence can act as a switch between the beam not filamenting and producing single filaments. This 'positive' effect of turbulence on the filament probability, combined with our observation of off-axis filaments suggests the underlying mechanism is modulation instability caused by transverse perturbations. We hereby experimentally explore the interaction of modulation instability and turbulence, commonly associated with multiple-filaments, in the single-filament regime.<br />5 pages, 6 figures