Single-focusing regime of propagation of femtosecond light packets when self-focused in a condensed medium

Numerical simulations are used to investigate the propagation of tightly focused megawatt femtosecond light packets in a nonlinear condensed medium in the single-focusing regime. A plasma is shown to be generated in a small region whose length and diameter increase with power in the single-focusing regime of propagation of a femtosecond light packet in a transparent dielectric. The limiting electron density in the microplasma formation region is virtually independent of the laser pulse power but increases with numerical aperture of the focusing optics. At a fixed femtosecond pulse power exceeding the critical self-focusing power, the transmission of light by a dielectric layer decreases with increasing numerical aperture of the focusing optics.