Optical rogue wave statistics in laser filamentation

Opt Express. 2009 Jul 6;17(14):12070-5. doi: 10.1364/oe.17.012070.

Abstract

We experimentally observed optical rogue wave statistics during high power femtosecond pulse filamentation in air. We characterized wavelength-dependent intensity fluctuations across 300 nm broadband filament spectra generated by pulses with several times the critical power for filamentation. We show how the statistics vary from a near-Gaussian distribution in the vicinity of the pump to a long tailed "L-shaped" distribution at the short wavelength and long wavelength edges. The results are interpreted in terms of pump noise transfer via self-phase modulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't