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Collapse of Vortices
We theoretically and experimentally investigate the self-focusing of optical vortices in Kerr media. We observe collapse to a distinct self-similar profile, which becomes unstable to azimuthal perturbations. We analyze the azimuthal modulational instability for ring-shaped vortices and predict the number of azimuthal maxima solely as a function of power and topological charge. In our experiments, the observed multiple-filamentation patterns are in excellent agreement with our theoretical analysis.
The multiple filamentation pattern from a 6 μJ, m = 2 optical phase vortex after propagating through 15 cm of water.
L. T. Vuong, T. D. Grow, A. Ishaaya, A. L. Gaeta, G. W. ’t Hooft, E. R. Eliel, and G. Fibich, “Collapse of Optical Vortices”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 133901 (2006). PDF
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