title: Spontaneous and sequential transitions of a Gaussian beam into diffraction rings, single ring and circular array of filaments in a photopolymer.
abstract: A Gaussian beam propagating in a photopolymer undergoes self-phase modulation to form diffraction rings and then transforms into a single ring, which in turn ruptures into a necklace of stable self-trapped multimode filaments. The transitions of the beam between the three distinct nonlinear forms only occur at intensities where the beam-induced refractive index profile in the medium slowly evolves from a Gaussian to a flattened Gaussian.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Physics McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada.
authors.forename: Ana B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Villafranca
authors.forename: Kalaichelvi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saravanamuttu
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D016011:Normal Distribution; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012833:Siloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D012833:Siloxanes