Nonlinear lossy light bullets in self-focusing media with nonlinear absorption

Abstract

We review the properties of nonlinear, multidimensional localized waves whose stationary propagation is sustained by a dynamic equilibrium between self-focusing and nonlinear losses. Their finite-energy versions preserve light bullet behavior well-beyond the characteristic diffraction or dispersion distances, and rebuild after obstacles. There exists a preferential lossy light bullet with maximum intensity and losses, defined solely by the optical properties of the medium, which is the most stable, non-conical localized wave supported by a medium with self-focusing nonlinearity and nonlinear losses. This preferential lossy light bullet acts as an attractor during self-focusing of Gaussian-like wave packets when collapse is halted by nonlinear absorption, a fact that can explain relevant characteristics of the observed light filament dynamics in media with anomalous dispersion.