title: Spatial pattern of microchannel formation in fused silica irradiated by nanosecond ultraviolet pulses.
abstract: We present numerical simulations of propagation of ultraviolet pulses through fused silica using a model that allows for the accumulative action of compaction back on the light. Compaction-induced self-focusing causes the light field to develop into a pattern of hot spots around the incident aperture that correlates with the damage patterns observed during marathon experiments designed to determine the onset of microchannel formation.
authors.affiliation: Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA. ewan.wright@optics.arizona.edu
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mansuripur
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Liberman
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bates